The Passion of a Dragon
by xKatx
Summary: Slytherin and Gryffindor two opposites who would never coincide. But when a prophecy comes to pass, what will happen when two of their own fall in love? And what will one man, out for revenge, do to stop it? DHr FINISHED 6.16.04!
1. The Passion of a Dragon

_****Matters of the Heart**--_

**_Never_**_ something one should **toy with**_

_Nor something one should **ignore**._

_In their case; **malicious argument**,_

_Bred by **harbored desire**._

_Neither **willing** to **indulge**,_

**_Neither_**_ willing to **admit.**_

**_Both _**_had **power**; **both** had **passion.**_

_But **both** held a **grudge**._

**_She _**_scarred** him,**_

**_He _**_tempted** her.**_

_They couldn't **meet-**-common ground was **nonexistant.**_

**_He _**_was** jealous,**_

**_She _**_couldn't **trust.**_

**_He_**_ was **night**--**she** was **day**_

**_He_**_ was a** dragon**--**she** was a** phoenix**._

**_Raised _**_to **despise** one another,_

_But ultimately **fated **to **love**._

**_She_**_ was **good**--**he **was **evil**._

**_He _**_was **dark**--**she** was **light**._

_Both a **worthy** opponent,_

_Yet both **forbidden.**_

_The **hate** was thick **between **them,_

_But then again, **so **was the **passion**._

_During the** day**, **insults** were hurled and **glares** were passed,_

_But at **night**, forbidden **touches **and **kisses **were shared._

**_He_**_ had **her**,_

**_She _**_had **him**,_

_But the **entire world **frowned upon **them**._

_Until **it** was **remembered**--until they **thought** it over._

_It all made **sense**--it fit with the **history**._

_Two **destined** to be **together**, yet never **understood.**_

_That **one** year, **two **of them would find **it,**_

_And **all** of the **Wizarding World **would be **affected.**_

_Whoever **thought**_

_The **Passion**_

_of a_

**_Dragon_**

_Could be_

So 

**_Intense_**_.**_

Welcome to The Passion of a Dragon, my Harry Potter fic based on passion, seduction, suspicion, and prophecy. Hr/D, G/H, R/L, S/P. 

**Summary:** Mixing a Slytherin and Gryffindor was about as hopeless as hoping the sun and moon would one day coexist. That's exactly what they were--two opposites who would never coincide. After all, he was night; she was day. He was bad; she was good. He was a dragon; she was a phoenix. There was nothing they could do to change it. But when one of their own is targeted for death, and the other is being deceived, will any of them figure out the truth, or will they lose one of their own forever? D/Hr, elements of H/G & R/L

**Disclaimer**: All right, yous guys, I know you're smarter than this: Do you really think I'd be writing _fanfiction_ if I owned all this? No way! I'd be living in a mansion in the mountains, DUH! The Great J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and his affiliates. I, however, do own Xander, Ivan, Mikail, Devin, Maya, Taryn, and Luke—basically, if you don't recognize the name from the Harry Potter books, it's from the silly mind of me ;) Enjoy!


	2. Chapter I

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:** xKatx

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to my story! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. Yes, it is a WIP, but I'm moving along with the plot so it'll all be out soon! please read and review and let me know if this is worth continuing. I love you guys tons!  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:  
**Draco Trysten Malfoy, pureblooded Head Boy, only son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy

Hermione Elisabeth Granger, muggle-born Head Girl, only daughter of Edmund and Marge Granger

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

There were hundreds of screams tearing through the woods as colorful sparks filled the sky. She knew the Death Eater was close behind her, following her, sending his fair share of pigmented streaks in her direction. She wasn't going to let him win; she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being the one to watch her die. After all, she was one of the three targeted. The main three targets. Harry, Ron, and she were the ones Voldemort had strictly instructed were killed first. But she was still alive.

_Where were the other two? She had no way of knowing. It was hard to see faces as she ran past other cloaked figures dueling with their own adversaries. They paid her little heed, considering the plum purple cloak she wore hid her face. To them, they just saw one of their own chasing the enemy. Despite the fact that they were Death Eaters, they knew what honor and chivalry was; they would never intervene on another's fight. It just wasn't done._

She continued to run, weaving through the trees, dodging curses and hurling a few of her own. Her magic wasn't strong enough yet to send a Killing Curse, but she could still do plenty of damage to her opponent.

_She looked back and saw the Death Eater was no longer following her. He was suspended in mid-air, his eyes closed and his tongue hanging out. He was clearly unconscious. She looked carefully and saw Harry wink at her from his spot behind a nearby tree. She smiled and continued running, hoping to find Ron and know he was okay._

_She stopped dead in her tracks when she turned around. There he stood; that same damnable creature she'd somewhat been looking for. After all, she had her fair share of words to say to him anyway._

_        "You," she spat, as if even speaking to him were a nasty taste on her tongue._

_He gave her a condescending smirk, "Me."_

_        "I should have let you die," she told him, her wand at the ready._

_His eyes flashed fire at her. He hated the fact that she'd saved his life only a month earlier, but she couldn't ruffle his feathers, "Regretting our decision, dear Mudblood?"_

_Hermione's eyes narrowed at him, "Malfoy, you're a self-righteous prick."_

_        "Watch your language, young lady," he told her wickedly, "We wouldn't want anyone of importance to hear you."_

_She glared at him, staring at his regally masculine face. It was almost an attractive face, if it didn't have evil and hate clear in its expression._

_        "We can take you in, you know," he said quietly, looking at her carefully, "We can make you one of us. Power, respect..."_

_        "Damnation," she spat, looking daggers at him._

_Before either could respond, there was an enormous explosion behind her…_

~*x*~

Hermione awoke with a frightful jolt. It took her a full minute to realize she was at home, in her bed and not out there in the Forbidden Forest, fighting the Ultimate War. Malfoy wasn't here; no one was. She was alone in her room.

She began breathing heavily, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her arms shook from her weight being supported on them. She sat forward, holding herself up. She took a few deep breaths, calming herself down.

**Not another one**, she thought to herself. She was growing tired of her constant nightmares—especially nightmares with that particular scene in them.

It took her another good fifteen minutes to get her heart rate back to normal. She carefully slipped out of bed, the cool breeze from her open window hitting her bare legs and arms. She shivered a little, regretting her tank top and shorts. She walked over to her window and shut it. It was getting chilly—after all, it was September now.

She looked at the clock, learning it was only three-thirty in the morning. She had another five or six hours before she was supposed to get up. Before going back to bed and attempting to sleep, she headed to the bathroom.

As she washed her hands, she looked at her reflection in the large mirror. She was a lot different than she had been six years earlier. She was much taller; her once four-foot-eleven frame had grown to a nice five-foot-eight height. Her once shapeless figure had become a modestly curvy chassis. She wasn't a pushover though; if she needed to physically defend herself, her silhouette was more than ready to do so.

She dried her hands and ran a hand through her now-straightened brown-sugar colored hair. She admired the honey colored streaks throughout it, extremely pleased with the result of her moment of temporary insanity. Thick black lashes surrounded her warm brown eyes, and her skin was a nice golden tan. She smiled, inspecting her straight, normal-sized teeth. It was fun to smile now; considering her teeth had become of equal size (this was thanks to Malfoy, but she would never voice this appreciation.)

She took one last look at herself, her heart jumping when she realized her best friends, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Lavender, Parvati, and Seamus, had yet to see her transformation. She felt a flutter of excitement, hoping they liked it as much as she did.

With this more pleasant thought on her mind, Hermione Elisabeth Granger walked back to her room, climbed into bed, and proceeded to sleep until her alarm woke her up.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Across the English Channel, another Hogwarts seventh year was up as well; though his reasons differing from hers. He stood on the balcony of his family's France beach house, looking out over the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean. He rested his elbows and forearms on the stone railing, looking out over the star-speckled sky. He hadn't been able to sleep much as the days marking his return to Hogwarts slipped away. Perhaps it was because he knew every student and teacher was going to remember what had happened the previous year. The war. In Hogwarts' back yard. After all, he'd played a large role in that war; hell, he'd fought in it. Then again, so had half of the other sixth year students. They'd felt obligated to defend their school. He really couldn't blame them.

        Or could he?

Draco Malfoy was not one to pity others. Quite the contrary, he despised those who were weak; those who didn't have what it took to make it through life. Those who gave up, in his opinion, were disgraces. They didn't belong in the world if they refused to live in it. 

        Only the strong survive, and he was one of the strong.

A cool breeze blew through his slicked back silvery-blonde hair. The refreshing zephyr gently caressed the pale skin of his arms, neck, and face. His steel gray eyes slid shut, basking in the moonlight. If there was one thing he loved, it was the nighttime. The placidity of it all never ceased to amaze him. Night was a lot of different things; calm, peaceful, uneventful, romantic, sensual—he had solitude at night, and that's what he liked most. Being alone with his thoughts; at least when he was alone he didn't have to live up to others' expectations or hide behind his big-and-bad image that had developed over the years. He could be plain old Draco Trysten Malfoy. 

        After all, that's all he wanted to be.

Now that the Ultimate War was over and Voldemort had been defeated, he and his father, Lucius Xavier Malfoy, had done what all the other surviving Death Eaters (who hadn't been caught, killed, or seen at all by anyone during the war)—go back to living normally; _without_ the Dark Side.

Draco was still somewhat interested in the power the Dark Side offered; the respect; the admiration; the fear. However, Lucius had warned him not to meddle in those sorts of things anymore. They were going to have to spend the rest of their lives rebuilding the Malfoy name; it had been damaged, but not quite destroyed.

Draco rested his head on his hand. He was tired, and he should go to sleep, but his thoughts kept him awake. How much had all of them changed? Blaise? Their other best friends, Mikail Winslow, Devin Steele, and Ivan Braizen? Had they changed? His thoughts wondered to Granger—he doubted that she'd changed. He couldn't picture her as anything else except short, bossy, know-it-all, bushy, brown haired, brown-eyed Granger who had no body and no attractive attributes at all.

Besides, you can't turn an ugly duckling into a swan. It was impossible, as far as he was concerned. What once was ugly would always be ugly. And Granger had been ugly the last time he'd seen her—there was not one thing he found attractive about her. Plus, the biggest thing that annoyed him about her was the fact that she bested him in everything; except Quidditch. A Mudblood should never best a Pureblood, and he couldn't figure out why she was better than he was. He knew she worked at it, but it still drove him crazy.

**I wonder if she's given up on the bossy, know-it-all, good-two-shoes thing,** he wondered to himself as he stood up to his full six-foot-one height. His broad shoulders and extremely muscular physique ached with fatigue, and he decided it was time to get to sleep. After all, he'd be returning to school tomorrow; he would need to take advantage of the privacy of his room while he could. In twenty-four hours time he'd be sharing a dormitory with that year's Head Girl—whoever it would be.


	3. Chapter II

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:** xKatx

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to my story! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. Yes, it is a WIP, but I'm moving along with the plot so it'll all be out soon! please read and review and let me know if this is worth continuing. I love you guys tons!  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:  
**Mrs. Granger, Muggle mother of Hermione

Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived, only son of Lily and James Potter, Hermione's best friend

Ronald Edward Weasley, youngest son of Arthur and Molly Weasley, Hermione's best friend

Virginia Anne Weasley, youngest daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley, Hermione's best friend

Seamus Andrew Finnigan, best friend to Hermione and her other friends

Parvati Penelope Patil, best friend to Hermione and her other friends

Lavender Angelica Brown, best friend to Hermione and her other friends

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Hermione slept the entire night through without another nightmare. She awoke at nine-thirty just as she planned, rolling out of bed when the alarm gave a shrill whistle at her. She managed to successfully shower without falling asleep, which was quite a feat for her, considering she was definitely not a morning person. She made her way from the bathroom to her room, a little more awake than she had been previously. She pulled on a pair of low-slung, hip-hugging, faded, bootcut jeans, a black belt with cities of Europe written in scratchy white writing across it, and a clingy black halter-top that exposed half an inch of her tanned waistline. She pulled on several silver bangle bracelets and silver hoop earrings. By the time she applied her smokey eyeshadow and nude lipstick with gloss, she was fully awake. She had just pulled on her black boots when her mother called up the stairs.

        "Hermione!" Mrs. Granger called, "You have fifteen minutes to get down here and eat!"

        "Okay!" Hermione called back. She had just enough time to do her hair before having to eat breakfast and leave for the train station.

She quickly straightened her hair with a straightening iron, letting it fall thinly against her face. She shut off the iron, wrapped the cord around it, and put it into the trunk with a few other last minute things. She let out a long sigh before looking around her room. This was the last time she'd see it before being a Hogwarts graduate. She smiled as she left her room, heading down stairs to breakfast with her parents before her departure.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Hermione stood with her arms folded across her chest as she waited on Platform 9 ¾ for her friends to arrive. She was somewhat nervous, unaware of what their reactions would be; Harry's especially. She was best friends with them all, there was no doubt about that. But she had always, and probably would always be closest with Harry. There was an unspoken bond between the two of them that was completely undeniable.

She twirled an end of her hair between two fingers as she sighed. She hoped they wouldn't hate her new look; would they think she looked too different?

        **Will you stop worrying?** she told herself, **You'll find out soon enough**.

        "Hermione?" A disbelieving voice asked from behind her. She turned around to see…

        "Harry, Ron, Ginny," she said, smiling at each in turn. They looked more different than even she could have imagined. Harry James Potter had grown into a well-built man. At six-foot-two, his broad-shouldered chassis was rippled with muscles aquired by six years of Quidditch. He'd cut his black hair short, and had more fashionable, silver-framed glasses. The eighteen year old Gryffindor Quidditch Captain was different in every way except for his broad smile and sparkling emerald green eyes.   
Ronald Edward Weasley had changed a fair amount as well. Long gone was the long and lanky boy Hermione had once known. Towering at an impressive six-foot-three, his shoulders were not as broad as Harry's, but he was equally as muscular. Quidditch had done wonders for the two boys' physiques, and it showed. Ron's face had grown to match the size of his once oversized nose. His red hair was cut short as well, and his blue eyes reflected his shock at Hermione's changed silhouette.

Hermione noticed Ginny next. Sixteen year old Virginia Anne Weasley was the shortest of the group, reaching a small five-foot-six and a half. She was thin and a bit pale, but she had her fair share of curves. She'd grown her red locks long, with natural waves throughout it. Her blue eyes were open in shock at Hermione.

        "You look…" Harry stuttered, not being able to finish his sentence. Hermione knew what he meant, though.

        "You look… too," she replied with a grin. Harry, Ron, and Ginny each smiled, relaxing as they realized Hermione was still Hermione; no make-up or training could change her.

        "I'm so happy to see you guys," she said, before hugging them each, noticing Harry's and Ron's arms were significantly stronger than they had been.

        "Oh my goodness," Ginny said when they hugged, "It is going to be _so much fun_ to dress you up for balls this year!"

Hermione laughed with her friends as they got their trunks and such into the train and located a large, vacant compartment near the back of the train.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

        "So you did all of _this_ over summer?" Ginny questioned after the four had settled themselves in the compartment.

Hermione crossed her legs and leaned her left elbow on her knee, her chin on that hand, "Yeah, pretty much. It took me about a month to get used to showing my stomach!"  
Ginny giggled and the boys looked at her strangely.

        "A month? Hermione, when you wear a bikini you show your stomach," Harry commented.

She smirked at him and winked, "I'd never worn a bikini until this summer."

Harry and Ron nodded, "Ahh," they said, "Well that could explain it."

They four spent the next fifteen minutes recounting their summers in detail until they felt the train lurch forward, slowly gaining speed. They were on their way to Hogwarts for the last time, and it was a somewhat sober thought.

Seconds later, the compartment door slid open.

        "Oy! Girls! I found them!" Seamus Andrew Finnigan's Irish voice called before he stuck his face in. Hermione could hardly believe that _this_ was Seamus Finnigan--he looked so different! At eighteen years old, Seamus had short cut brown hair and playful brown eyes. Of the boys, he was the shortest at an even six feet. He had narrower shoulders than Harry did, and fewer muscles, but he was still impressive.

        "Blimey, tooks us fourteen tries to find you," he told them as he slid the door open further and strode in. Seconds later, Lavender Angelica Brown appeared in the doorway. 

Ron gulped. Eighteen year old Lavender had long brown hair that flowed past her shoulders, and friendly brown eyes. She was about five-foot-seven and a half, and was a little rounder then Hermione and Ginny were, but she still had her share of curves. She grinned at them.

        "Oh my gosh, you guys!" She exclaimed as she looked on her friends. Hermione was pleased to see the shock in both Lavender and Seamus' faces. It was exactly the reaction she'd wanted. 

        "Oh sure, desert me you two," Parvati's voice said as she entered the compartment. Eighteen year old Parvati Penelope Patil had long brown hair and blue eyes that snapped and sparkled when she laughed. She was five-foot-eight, and thin with absolutely no curves at all. Her skin was slightly tanned and she had a pretty smile.

        "Hermione! Oh my gosh you look fantastic!" Parvati gasped, hugging her friend.

Several more hugs were passed around before everyone settled down. Harry and Ginny (holding hands, mind you), Ron, and Lavender sat on one bench, and Hermione, Seamus, and Parvati sat on the other. It was slightly cramped, but they were willing to deal with it.

        "So, when did you two hook up?" Parvati asked, motioning to Harry and Ginny's entwined hands. Harry blushed and Ginny rolled her eyes.

        "Right before the Quidditch World Cup," she said, "Honestly, I don't know why you still blush over that," she informed her beau, who shrugged.

Hermione watched this exchange with a warm smile. Those two clicked like no other couple she'd ever seen, and she was glad Harry had finally gotten the courage to voice his harbored feelings. Hermione was glad Ginny reciprocated--if this was how he acted when they were dating, she would have _hated_ to see him if Ginny had said no.

The majority of the train ride passed in the same friendly fashion; Hermione, however, couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. Harry and Ginny exchanged glances that only Hermione seemed to notice, and the tension between Lavender and Ron and Parvati and Seamus was thick enough to cut with a dull knife. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see they were attracted to each other--the only ones who didn't seem to notice it was them.

Hermione crossed her legs again and rested her chin on her hand. She was sick of being alone--each of them had or was finding someone, and she was the seventh wheel; as always.

Luckily, she was saved from her thoughts of self-pity by a stuttering young Gryffindor second year who knocked on the compartment door and came in.

        "I-i-is there a H-h-hermione G-granger in h-here?" The young, freckled, green-eyed, red-haired girl asked.

Hermione nodded, sitting forward, "Yes," she replied.

        "P-p-professor M-m-G-gonagall w-would l-like to s-see you in her c-c-compart-m-ment."

        "I'm coming," Hermione replied.

The young girl nodded as Hermione gave her a warm smile. Seconds later, the girl darted back out of the compartment and shut the door.

        "Were we really that small?" Lavender pondered.

        "It's hard to imagine these two brutes as _small_," Ginny said, motioning to Ron and Harry.

        "Hey!" Seamus objected, looking indignant.

Parvati patted his shoulder sympathetically, "You were a shrimp until sixth year, Seamus--we still remember that."

Everyone laughed as Hermione left, telling them she'd be back in a few minutes. She grinned to herself; she had the best friends anyone could ever ask for, and she was glad to have one more year with them.

She continued to think of this as she made her way down the corridor of the train, heading toward Professor McGonagall's compartment. She heard a compartment door open ahead of her to her right, and a second later a tall man stepped out of the compartment.  
A black button-up shirt with its sleeves rolled up to the elbow covered his broad-shouldered, extremely toned torso. Hermione didn't have to see his bare chest to see he was _very_ muscular. His sinewy forearms were the tiniest bit tan, and he was tall—Hermione guessed he was six-foot-one or so. His face was somewhat narrow; he had high, regal, masculine cheekbones, his eyes the color of thick melted steel, and his silvery-blonde hair slicked back away from his face. He had full lips that were just the tiniest bit red, and his posture was straight.

        "Malfoy," she said, conjuring up as much contempt in her voice as possible. He was the last person she wanted to see—not that he was difficult to look at anymore.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, before the familiar smirk graced his lips, "Granger," he said, her name rolling off his tongue ingratiatingly. It sent a shiver down her spine, but she refused to show any discomfort.

Draco Trysten Malfoy couldn't believe the woman standing in front of him; there was _no way_ that was Hermione Granger--bossy, know-it-all, goody-goody extraordinare. This woman in front of him was gorgeous; one of the more beautiful creatures he'd ever seen. She was only five inches shorter than he was, with beautiful golden brown skin and long straight brown hair, honey colored streaks throughout it. Her brown eyes (normally rather friendly) snapped with malice at him. He had to remind himself to keep his mouth shut when he looked her up and down. The clingy black halter top hugged her curvy waist and hit a good half an inch above her waistline, exposing more golden skin. Her jeans hugged her hips and clung to her long legs. Overall, she was captivating.

        "And I thought I would be spared of you this year," she hissed caustically. It shocked him how such a displeased comment could come from such a beautiful woman and flow in such a melodious voice. However, he roughly shoved these thoughts from his mind, remembering this was Mudblood Granger he was admiring.

        "Sorry to ruin your hopes," he informed her, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "But I'm still here."

        "Damn to hell whoever let you back in school after what you did last year," she glared fire, and he swore her eyes flashed a deep purple. He wondered if that happened every time she got angry.

        "Then you'd be damning our own Minister of Magic," he purred condescendingly, giving her an evil smirk, "Because he was the one who agreed to let me, and half of the Slytherins, back in."

        "Then I damn the Minister of Magic," she replied, crossing her arms and staring bitterly at him.

He shrugged, putting his hands in the pockets of his black pants, "Who you damn or not is of no concern of mine," he told her, sauntering closer, "After all, anyone not in your good graces is in for it anyway. You fight awfully."

        "That'll prove to you never to cross me," she said, "I do hope it left a scar."

Draco, in one smooth movement, lifted his shirt, revealing a silvery-black streak halfway across his _impressively_ buff chest.

        "Your hopes, this time, weren't ruined," he replied splenetically, "You left one."

Hermione's brown eyes took in the scar and she almost felt a pang of guilt. However, it was quickly replaced with a strange sense of pride.

        "The real question is, however," she said, moving closer to him, her eyes flashing a dangerous violet as he lowered his shirt, "Did you learn anything from it?"

        "Tut, tut, tut," he reprimanded her, their faces only about five inches apart, "You of all people should know never to speak like that to a pureblood."

        "What? Going to sic your cronies on me?" She whispered, her lips dangerously close to his.

        "I think in your case, I would handle you personally," he whispered deeply in reply. He looked into her eyes, their color slowly returning to their normal, chocolate color. He felt something constrict in his chest, but shook the feeling away.

        "Glad to know I'd only be 'handled' by _one_ filthy Slytherin," she replied. Her warm breath was on his cheeks, and he began to have problems containing his emotions. She was beautiful—the thought that she was a Mudblood and had nearly killed him one year previously. 

        "Even if that Slytherin was yours truly?"

She looked up into his cold gray eyes and narrowed hers, "If I had a choice between them and you…" she paused, looking him up and down, "I'd pick you. But if I had the choice between death and you," she slid one slim finger down his chest, seeing that she was getting to him and wanting to have a little fun, "Death would be a sweet release."

And with that, she moved past him toward Professor McGonagall's compartment.


	4. Chapter III

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:** xKatx

**Author's Notes:** When I put the "Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter," it's the new characters that you haven't met yet. I'm not about to put Hermione and her crowd and Malfoy and his crowd under each and every one; can we say boring and long?!  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:  
**Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House

Blaise Isaac Zabini, best friend of Draco Malfoy

Mikail Niko Winslow, best friend of Draco Malfoy

Ivan Itzio Braizen, best friend of Draco Malfoy

Devin David Steele, best friend of Draco Malfoy

Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

"Ah, Miss Granger, so nice to see you again," Professor McGonagall greeted the Head Girl as she entered the compartment, "You look lovely!"  
        "Thank you, Professor. I decided it was time for a change," Hermione admitted as she smiled at the older woman.

        "Well, it is your last year," Professor McGonagall conceded, "Have you seen our Head Boy anywhere?"

        "Who is it, Professor?" Hermione questioned. Before Professor McGonagall could reply, however, the compartment door slid open.

        "Mr. Malfoy, nice of you to join us," Professor McGonagall greeted him a little more stiffly than she had her own House student.

He nodded his aquiesce as he sat on the opposite side of the bench, throwing a wary look in Hermione's direction. She looked so beautiful in his eyes; so beautiful, dark, and untouchable. Part of him wanted to pursue her simply for the enjoyment of conquering her will and proving himself the strong power, but the other remembered his parents wished for him to spend his time with Pansy. Why, he would never understand.

Hermione didn't pay much attention to anything Professor McGonagall said. She was twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers, leaned back against the bench, her legs crossed. She stole a quick glance at him as Professor McGonagall informed them that their dormitory password was _Infinigus_.

He was so handsome and forbidden. The last thing that would ever happen would be them dating. After all--he was the man who'd nearly killed her the year before. He was an untouchable force; something she could never have.

        **It's not like I want him**, she reprimanded herself, **we _are_ talking about Malfoy here.**

But somehow she couldn't quite convince herself that what she was saying was true.

Professor McGonagall dismissed the two, and they left her compartment in silence. Considering they'd had a row before they'd entered her compartment, neither was much interested in tormenting the other at the moment. There would be plenty of time to do that once they got to school and found themselves living around each other twenty-four hours a day, every day.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

        "You have to share a dorm with _Malfoy_!?" Harry, Ron, Lavender, Seamus, Parvati, and Ginny exclaimed when they heard about Hermione's predicament.

She nodded miserably.

        "That's is so against everything good and right in this world!" Ron insisted. She smiled and shrugged.

        "There's nothing I can do about it," she concluded.

        "I'm sure there is too," Harry objected, "Talk to McGonagall--I'm sure she can figure something out."

        "Nah, Harry, she only does that for you," Seamus said, and Harry threw a folded up cloak at him.

        "_That's_ mature," Seamus muttered as he fixed his hair.

        "Seriously, 'Mione, think about it," Harry said.

She shook her head, "He's Head Boy, what are they going to do?"

This was one questioned that seemed to stump everyone in the compartment.

        "It's only one year," she insisted, "I can handle it you guys."

        "The way you handled it when you slapped Malfoy?"

        "The way you handled it when he was turned into a ferret?"

        "The way you handled it last year?"

Hermione remained silent, knowing they were right. She remembered hers and Malfoy's confrontation, but decided not to mention it. It would only add fuel to the fire.

        "I'm serious you guys... it's different now."

        "Why, because you almost killed each other last year?" Harry asked.

She paused, but nodded, "Yeah. I think that had something to do with it."

        "Did he say anything to you when you two went to McGonagall's compartment?" Ron questioned, looking at her.

She sighed and crossed her legs, "No. He didn't say anything at all. Just ignored me."

        "Well, if that's all he does all year, then you won't have any problem handling it," Ginny commented.

        "You know," Lavender said, "He's become _awful_ good-looking."

The boys groaned animatedly.

        "Please, if you're going to compliment anyone else, let us know first-"

        "-Especially if it's _Malfoy_-"

        "-We don't mind when you talk about _us_-"

        "Just not Malfoy," they all said in unison.

The group dissolved into fits of laughter as the girls left to change into their school uniforms.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

        "So, be _completely honest_," Ginny insisted, "Is he any better looking?"

Hermione turned around, tucking her white, long-sleeve, button-up, collared blouse into her gold, red, and black plaid skirt, "Not considering the fact that it's Malfoy? He's gorgeous."

        "Really?" Lavender squealed as she pulled on her black, knee-high socks, "I had a feeling he was going to grow into a very handsome man."

        "Sure you did," Parvati replied, adjusting her red, gold, and black plaid tie, "The way you thought Neville was going to grow up to be handsome."

Ginny laughed and Hermione shook her head as she too pulled up her knee-high black socks, "Neville's not all bad," Lavender commented as she pulled on her black shoes.

Parvati wrinkled her nose as she fluffed her hair in the mirror on the wall of the train, "Not my first choice."

        "No need to go further," Hermione said, pulling on her shoes, "We already know who _you_ have as first choice."

Parvati turned around, one hand on her hip, "And who is that?"

        "Seamus," the three girls said in unison.

Parvati blushed and they all started laughing.

Hermione was adjusting her mid-thigh hitting skirt when Ginny said, "Oh, but I feel guilty, 'Mione. You're the only one who's not interested in anyone."

        "Hell, looking like that every guy's gonna be interested in her," Parvati observed as she tucked in her shirt.

        "Not true," Lavender said, "The taken guys shouldn't be," she looked up as she grabbed her tie and put it around her neck.

        "I don't know," Hermione said, "I've got an idea in my mind of what kind of guy I want. There may not be one like that at Hogwarts, but how am I to know that?"

        "You'll just have to wait and see," Ginny said as the girls finished and returned to the compartment, allowing the boys to leave and change.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

        "So you and Ginny, huh?" Seamus questioned as the boys pulled on their uniforms.

Harry nodded as he tucked in his white button-up, long-sleeved, collared men's dress shirt, "Yeah. Almost three months."

        "Never would have guessed," Seamus said as he tucked his shirt in and buttoned his black pants, "How'd you take it, Ron?"

Ron shrugged as he fixed his black, red, and gold plaid tie, "It's Harry and Ginny, man--he knows if he hurts her I'll kill him."

        "That was duely noted," Harry agreed as he pulled his tie over his head and began to fix it.

        "What about you and Lavender?" Seamus asked as he pulled his tie over his head.

Ron's ears went pink, and his cheeks flushed scarlet, "What about us?"

        "Is there an 'us'?"

        "No."

Harry looked at his red-haired friend, "You want there to be though--you can't deny it."

        "Who's denying it?" Ron asked, pulling on his black jacket with the Gryffindor emblem on the left breast pocket.

        "But you _do_ want something, don't you?" Seamus pressed as he finished fixing his tie.

        "Hey, what about _you_ and Parvati?" Ron questioned, "Stop asking questions and answer some for a moment."

        "What about it?"

        "Is there anything?"

        "Not at the moment, but I won't deny I'm interested."

Harry cocked an eyebrow, "In bossy Parvati? Never would have guessed it, Seamus. You were always the one to tell her to shut up."

Seamus shrugged, giving a small grin, "I'll put her in her place, she'll put me in mine. That's how it goes."

The boys finished getting dressed and moved to rejoin the girls in the compartment as the train came to a stop.

        "All seven of us are not going to fit into one carriage," Parvati noticed once they'd disembarked and spotted the horseless transportation, "We have to split up."

It was decided Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny would ride in one carriage, and Parvati, her twin sister Padma, Seamus, and Lavender, would ride in the other.

        "Are you guys ready to go back?" Ginny questioned, her hand linked in Harry's as they rode up to the gates of Hogwarts.

        "Wonder what mess we'll get ourselves into this year," Ron pondered, and Hermione shook her head.

        "After last year, I don't really want another mess or adventure or anything."

There was a sober silence as they approached the school. Memories, both good and bad, were flooding back to all of them, and it didn't feel right to talk.

        "I'm ready," Ginny said confidently, smiling at the carriage's occupants.

        "I'm ready too," Harry said, giving his girlfriend an affectionate smile, as well as his friends.

        "Me three," Ron said, a smile giving way from his frown.

Hermione cast a wary look at the Forbidden Forest, before looking at her friends.

        "I think I'm ready too," she relented, a small smile gracing her lips as the carriage stopped and they got off. They quickly met up with their other friends, and stood at the base of the stairs leading into Hogwarts.

        "Last year," Lavender said with a sigh.

        "For some of you," Ginny reminded her with a smile.

The seventh years of the group stood in silence, looking up at the castle they'd called home for six long years.

        "I say we make this one count more than any of the others," Seamus said, looking at his friends.

They nodded, and filled with hope and resolve, marched up the front stairs and into another year at Hogwarts.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Draco climbed out of the carriage, followed by his friends: Blaise Zabini, a nineteen year old seventh year with short black hair, blue eyes, a broad, muscular frame, and a height of six feet three inches. Quidditch had taken its friendly toll on Blaise's body, and it showed well. He was a bit more relaxed than Draco was, posture wise, and it made him more approachable. Following him was eighteen year old, six-foot-three, brown-haired, green-eyed Mikail Winslow, then eighteen year old, six-foot-two, dirty blonde-haired, blue-eyed Devin Steele, and finally nineteen year old, six-foot-one, black-haired, brown-eyed Ivan Braizen. All five were members of the Slytherin Quidditch Team; Draco, of course was Seeker and Team Captain, Blaise was Keeper, Devin was a Chaser, and Ivan and Mikail were the Beaters. All were massive in muscle capacity and intimidating in size and appearance; they commanded respect with their presence.

        "Welcome back," Blaise said, clapping his long-time friend on the shoulder, "Hope this year is better than last year was."

        "You and me both," Draco agreed as they made their way up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall.

The school itself was the same as it had been in every way, only this time the two groups mentioned were partially, if not all, seventh year students, and only had one more year to enjoy Hogwarts in all its splendor.

Upon entering the Great Hall, the two groups sat at their respective tables, quite coincidentally on opposite sides of the Great Hall; this year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were on one side, and Hufflepuff and Slytherin were on the opposite side. Hermione had a feeling this was planned for a reason, but didn't voice this hunch.

        "Come on, let's get seats," Parvati said, as the group hurriedly found seven empty seats at the Gryffindor table. The tables were clad with tablecloths; the Slytherin's was green, the Gryffindor's was crimson, the Hufflepuff's was yellow, and the Ravenclaw's was blue. There were gold plates and cups and cutlery on the table, and candles floated above.

        "This place hasn't changed a bit," Ginny commented as she looked around, taking in the familiar sights.

Hermione nodded, "I've missed it a lot."  
Parvati had a dark look on her face, "I don't miss the memories though."

Before they could comment on Parvati's statement, Professor McGonagall entered, followed by a long line of very small first year students. The tables, with the exception of Slytherin, watched with interest as the students gathered around the stool, and the hat broke into song.

_"Through much toil and trouble, our school has overcome,_

_The power struggles, attacks, all we've seen and done.  
Now we will move forward, learning as we go,_

_Old prophecies forgotten, will now be retold._

_Many hundred years ago, before I came to be,_

_There was a battle—an imcomparable, unforseeing scene._

_Two were brought together; despite all that they had known,_

_They joined this school together, and made it world renowned._

_But this happy ending only lasts a hundred years,_

_Now this age-old prophecy's fulfillment once again nears._

_Who will be the two, to follow in its steps?  
Two seventh years of course, but who of them fits best?_

_Could it be a Ravenclaw, so cunning and so bright?  
Or maybe a noble Gryffindor, prepared to win the fight?  
Perhaps it is a Hufflepuff, who's charm is always there,_

_Then again, it could be Slytherin, who's regalness is uncompaired._

_Two of them shall meet, deux shall become un,_

_Two houses joined together, until the prophecy has run.  
Then it shall continue, until our final day is done."_

The school clapped loudly as the hat lay still again. But the seventh years got creepy feelings from the words the hat had said. Two would become one? Of opposite houses? It could be anyone: A Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, A Slytherin and Hufflepuff, a Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, A Ravenclaw and Slytherin, or the worst yet: A Gryffindor and Slytherin.

        "Knowing our luck," Ron said as the clapping died down, "It'll be a Gryffindor and Slytherin."

The others nodded soberly as the first seven first years were sorted: two went to Hufflepuff, one went to Ravenclaw, and four went to Slytherin.

        "At this rate, we'll only have five new Gryffindors," Harry commented.

But just as these words were out, they were proved wrong.

One after another:

"Crelson, Staci"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"El-Sansador, Rita"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Richardson, Tyson"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Sagebrush, Sam"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

and

"Timberland, Maranda" 

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor had erupted in loud cheers and applause as the five new members of the house came to the table. The seventh year Gryffindors began excitedly planning to smash the other three houses in the House Cup competition.

Finally, there was "Wilson, Jeffrey," who became the fifth Ravenclaw.

Professor McGonagall rolled the parchment up, and picked up the hat and stool.

"Did you see that?! Did you see that!? _Ten_ new Gryffindors total!" Seamus cheered, throwing his napkin in the air.

Hermione laughed along with her friends, but they all fell quiet when Professor Dumbledore stood.

        "Welcome to the beginning of another year at Hogwarts," he began, his blue eyes twinkling from behind his half-moon spectacles, his long purple robe flowing behind him, "I know it has been difficult to return here for some of you—especially those in fifth year and up."  
He paused, a sober silence falling over the Hall. They'd lost a lot of good people the previous year; teachers and students alike. 

        "But I am pleased to see so many familiar faces," he grinned happily down at the students from the Teacher's Table. Many smiling faces greeted his eyes, "As most of you already know, and those who don't, we in the Wizarding World no longer live in fear. Lord Voldemort-" many people hissed in sharp breaths at the sound of his name, "Is no more. He was defeated here, at Hogwarts, last spring. Right in our own Forbidden Forest. I would like to extend a personal congratulations and thank you to every student here who helped make that happen."

Seventh, sixth, and fifth years cheered happily. They remembered their victory well, and despite the bad memories were not afraid to be happy for themselves.

        "This year will be different, however. You already heard the Sorting Hat's song, and I am here to confirm its story. There is a prophecy, and it indeed, has come time to fulfill it again. I have no idea who the two will be, but I assure you it will happen."

His speech continued, but the last line was the only one that stayed on the minds of the entire school. It was the line that would dictate everything that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that year.


	5. Chapter IV

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_ xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to my story! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. Yes, it is a WIP, but I'm moving along with the plot so it'll all be out soon! please read and review and let me know if this is worth continuing. I love you guys tons!  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:_  
_**Elvira the Elusive, _the portrait guarding the Heads dormitory_

Maya Grey, _Hermione's friend in her Ancient Runes class_

_~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~_

The plates on the tables of the Houses were quickly cleaned by the students, before disappearing altogether. At that moment, Dumbledore stood again, announcing a few last minute rules, the Prefects of the year, and the Head Boy and Girl. Hermione smiled as people applauded for her, and then politely applauded with the school as Malfoy's name was announced. She saw the younger girls giggling and blushing in his direction, but he seemed incognizant to any of it. Hermione felt a little bit of respect for him, considering he was in fact gorgeous, but wasn't too narcissistic about it.

        "Now, to bed with all of you; classes begin tomorrow!" Dumbledore announced, and the students all stood, making their way to the doors of the Great Hall. 

Hermione walked with her friends, considering the Heads dormitory was on the same floor as the Gryffindor tower. They chattered about the prophecy a little more before Hermione bid them goodnight and made her way to the portrait of Elvira the Elusive. 

Elvira was clad in a pale purple robe, a black sash across her shoulder. She had pale blonde hair and snapping blue eyes. It was no wonder she was elusive--she was quite beautiful, and Hermione imagined many a fine young man had tried, but not succeeded, to wed Elvira.

        "Are you Hermione Granger, Head Girl?" Elvira asked in a squeaky, but very low voice.

        "Yes," Hermione replied, looking at the portrait.

        "Where is the Head Boy?"  
Hermione shrugged just as Draco walked up. Her eyes turned from warm brown to icy violet in two seconds flat. She wasn't going to be caught off-guard with him around-her trust level for him was lower than her trust level of letting Neville test a potion on her.

        "You waited… how unnaturally kind of you, Mudblood," he said, his voice still as baritone and enticing as it had been on the train.

She crossed her arms and looked him up and down, "It wasn't by choice," she said, "We both had to be here to say the password for the first time."

        "Something you read in one of your meaningless books, I suppose," he commented.

        "Are you Draco Malfoy, Head Boy?" Elvira asked, clearly not impressed by him.

        "Yes," he replied.

        "Password, then?"

        "_Infinigus_," the two of them said in unison. In that instant, the soprano of her voice and the baritone of his seemed to echo through the hall. It gave her a shiver down her back, but he seemed not to notice.

Elvira's portrait swung forward, and Draco stepped back to let her in first. He may have hated her, and she him, but he was still a gentleman.

Upon entering through the portrait hole, one stepped down two stairs to where three couches sat in a 'U' shape with a table in the middle. In the corner was a long table, with several chairs around it. Across from the couches was the immense stone fireplace, a majestic clock sitting on its mantle. On the highest level, where Hermione and Malfoy stood now, were three doors and two windows. To their left was a large window, just before the door to Hermione's room. In the middle was the door leading to the bathroom. Next was the door to Malfoy's room, preceding another large window. The entire room was decorated in crimson and black.

        "Impressive," Malfoy commented, looking at the room one more time.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Impressive? This is awesome."

        "You're easily pleased," he commented.

She narrowed her eyes at him, as she moved past him and toward the door leading into her room.

**(A/N:** Here is a rough idea of what their dorms look like

_________________            __________________

        l                           l           l                             l 

        l                           l           l                             l

        l   Hermione's         l           l       Draco's            l

        l       Room            l           l       Room              l

        l                           l           l                             l

        l                           l_______l                             l

        l________________l Bath    l_________________l

        l                           l   Room l                             l

        l                           l_______l                             l

        l                                                                     l

        l                                                                     l

        l                       Common Room Area                  l

        l                                                                     l

        l                                                                     l

        l_________________________________________l

Hope you guys get a visual! BACK TO THE STORY)

~

Hermione's room had six windows-to on each outside wall. Unfortunately, two of them faced two of Malfoy's windows as well. She had a large canopy bed in the center of the room, draped in crimson linens with gold trimming. The curtains matched, and the wooden desk, chest of drawers, and other woodworking was all in cherry finished wood.  
Malfoy's room matched hers identically except that his room was colored in black, emerald green, and silver. It felt homely to him-the Slytherin dungeons were just as dark as this; perhaps darker. He pulled the curtains shut over the windows, and the room was even darker. The fire was burning a bright orange, but after mumbling a few words, the orange turned to pale blue.

        **This is more like it**, he thought to himself as he went about changing for bed. As he unbuttoned his white dress shirt, his fingers brushed the black and silver streak across his chest. She'd given that to him--in his mind, he felt branded. He hadn't left a mark on her, and it didn't seem fair. She should have been branded as well.

        **Oh well,** he thought to himself, **I have the entire year to think of something to do**.

With this heinous, yet somewhat comforting thought, he climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

        "What have we got?" Hermione asked as she showed up at the Gryffindor table the next morning, clad in her usual outfit, with her hair in a French braid and subtle make-up on. She didn't seem to notice when half of the male population of Hogwarts turned their heads to see her enter the Hall.

        "First thing is…" Ron said, skimming the paper quickly, "Divination."

        "Not for me," Hermione replied with a grin as she buttered a piece of toast and spread strawberry jam over it.

        "One of the times when you were absolutely right," Harry commented, giving his best friend a smile.

        "So, what do _you_ have, 'Mione?" Ginny questioned, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

Hermione looked at her paper, and found what she was looking for.

        "Ancient Runes," she replied with a grin. However, her grin faltered.

        "Isn't that one of the classes you have with Malfoy?" Seamus questioned.

Hermione nodded sadly, and Ron broke into a laugh.

        "Watch your luck-you'll end up getting a project together."  
She shot him a look, "Go ahead, _jinx_ me. Now I _will_ have to work with him."

Ron held up his hands, warding off any further rebuke, "Hey, I was just pointing out the irony!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and Parvati looked at her, "I wouldn't be so heartbroken-he's turned into quite the hunk."

Ginny and Lavender nodded, "He has," Ginny conceded.

Harry gave her a look, but she gave him a smile, "Calm down, Harry," she assured him, patting his hand affectionately, "Not as cute as you."

Hermione, Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, Ron, and Seamus all rolled their eyes.

        "How sappy," Seamus commented, only to be hit a second later with a napkin, "Oy! What's the deal!"

Harry just grinned.

Hermione finished her toast and pumpkin juice before looking at her watch, "Well, we'd better get going-you guys have to go to the Divination tower, and I have to get to the Ancient Runes classroom in the next five minutes."

Everyone else checked their watches and learned Hermione was absolutely right.  
        "I'll see you guys in Herbology," Hermione informed all of her friends.  
        "I'll see you guys at lunch!" Ginny called with a grin as she went off to her sixth-year Potions class.

Hermione put her bag over her shoulder as she walked through the halls to Ancient Runes. She noticed many boys turning around to look back at her, and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. She'd never been oogled before, and it wasn't a welcome experience.

She walked into the Ancient Runes classroom and sat in one of the seats further back. She used to sit right in the front of every class, but since last year she'd discovered being perfect was not the most important thing. The sad aspect of it all was that it took a war to show her that.

She was twirling her quill in her fingers as she sat, waiting for the professor to come in. She watched the door occasionally, her eyes flashing dangerously when Malfoy walked into the room. He sat in the back as well, but was over in the corner near his cronies. Hermione rolled her eyes, thankful that her friend Maya, from Ravenclaw, was in this class.

At that moment, Maya walked in.

        "Hermione! Oh my gosh, you look _great_!" She said, coming to sit next to the Gryffindor.

Hermione smiled at her friend, "Thanks, Maya. You look awesome as well!"

        "Thanks! It's about time my metabolism picked up," Maya said, excusing her thinned frame.

They couldn't talk any further considering the professor walked into the room.

        "Welcome back, students!" She greeted them with a smile. They all nodded their aquiesce as she began.

        "We're going to start out this year talking about Stonehenge. However, I will not be teaching you about it."

The students raised curious eyebrows, as she grinned at them.

        "You shall be teaching each other."

Hermione's heart dropped into her stomach. She knew it, she _knew_ it! She was going to be paired with a Slytherin, and if it turned out to be who she thought it was going to be, she was going to scream.

        "I've already paired you up with someone from a different house-"

There went her chance to be paired with a Gryffindor.

        "-So let's see. Zabini and Griffith-"

One Slytherin down, about twelve more to go.

        "-Thomas and Winslow, Liverflew and Steele, Nigels and Berkbach, Braizen and Barlowe-"

Now there were only about eight more Slytherins left.

        "-Holt and Kemper, Gray and Mickels-"

Hermione smiled at Maya; at least she was paired with Ricky Mickels, a charming Hufflepuff.

        "-Vitrikson and Winston-"

Who was Vitrikson? Hermione had never heard that name before, and she'd heard pretty much all the seventh years' names over the course of her itme at Hogwarts. She looked forward and saw a tall man-about six-foot-turn around to look at the Slytherin he was paired with. He had wavy brown hair and green eyes. He had broad shoulders and his fair share of muscles on his frame. He didn't smile, but she figured if he did, it would be a nice smile.

        "-Malfoy and Granger-"

        **Goddamnit**, she thought to herself, her eyes sliding shut in pity for herself. Now she had to work with him!? It was bad enough that she had to share a dormitory with him, and now a project? **I think Fate hates me,** she thought to herself, looking at Maya, who gave her a sympathetic, yet encouraging smile.

        "You can handle it, 'Mione," Maya told her, "I have every confidence in you."

Hermione nodded, but a smile was not on her face.

After the professor finished announcing the partners, Hermione shot a look at Maya that clearly stated she wished she was dead. Maya gave her a smile as they moved to sit with their partners.

Hermione dropped into a desk next to Malfoy, but said nothing. She crossed her legs and arms and glared at the desk, imagining it was his face.

        "Now, I want you all to begin planning your projects-you can present it in any form you like. Remember, it's on Stonehenge."

And with that, the professor sat down at her desk, and the students began to talk with each other.

        "Don't expect me to be friendly," he warned her.

She glared at him, "Don't expect me to like you."

        "I never expect anything from you," He told her, his straight white teeth showing as he smirked at her. 

How in the hell could he be so perfect? Every inch of his body was the mirror of perfection, and it annoyed her to no end. Nothing seemed wrong with him--with the exception that he was Malfoy, and every part of his personality was enough to make her crazy with anger.

        "We can't do anything right now," she commented, "We have to be in the library."

        "I have Quidditch practice every night this week except tonight," he informed her curtly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

        "Then we'll go to the library tonight," she concluded, twirling a strand of hair that hung by her face around her finger. 

He couldn't deny that he was seriously debating saying something nice to her, but then he remembered the blackish-silver scar on his chest, and he bit back the urge. She was delectable, though--her ruby lips, her golden brown skin, her brown-sugar and honey colored hair, her body--for most girls, the school uniforms did their shape no justice, but they flattered Hermione's to no end.

He looked at her, and saw she was staring at the desk. He stole a quick glance down under the desk and took in the length of her golden-brown legs. Her black socks were pulled up to just under her knee, but her thighs were still visible.

        **Knock it off, Malfoy,** he told himself, **this is Mudblood Granger! Stop thinking this way--imagine what Father would say.**

The bell rang and they gathered their stuff.

        "Six-thirty, Granger," he told her swiftly as he, Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin met up and left the Ancient Runes classroom.

Hermione glared after him as she and Maya walked out of the classroom together.


	6. Chapter V

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_ xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** All right, this story contains the song **I Hate Everything About You**—obviously I don't own that song nor can I sing it very well!

PLUS: **********= that line is from the People's Choice Award-winning movie _Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl._ I didn't coin that phrase, the brilliant, talented, gorgeous, JACK SPARROW (aka Johnny Depp) did! ***If you haven't see this movie, GET YOUR BUTT OUT THERE AND SEE IT!***  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:_  
_**Xander Vitrikson, _seventh year-New Student in Ravenclaw._

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"You have to work with _Malfoy_? Poor thing," Ron pitied her as they sat at lunch that afternoon.

Hermione nodded, "I know. It's bad enough I have to live with him, but now I have an Ancient Runes project with him? Fate hates me."

        "I wouldn't say that," Harry disagreed, "We all have bad times--yours is just hell, that's all."

Hermione couldn't help but grin at him. They always knew how to make a bad situation into a humorous one.

        "I don't know," Ginny said, "I wouldn't mind having to work with him. After all, Hermione--you guys would make a great couple."

Hermione stared at her younger friend, as did the others, "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, Ginny."

        "No, I agree with Ginny," Parvati conceded, "He is _gorgeous_, charming, elegant-"

        "-Chauvinistic, egotistical, conceited, crazy, slimy, filthy git," Ron finished her list, and Harry and Seamus nodded in agreement.

        "I remember I had to work with him on a Defense Against the Dark Arts project last year," Seamus informed them, "He wasn't the polite aristocrat he looks like."

        "But remember what was going on last year," Lavender cut in, defending Malfoy, "He was still in on the Dark Side with his dad."

        "Please tell me you're not defending him," Ron pleaded, looking at Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender, "This is _Malfoy_ we're talking about."

        "We _know_ who we're talking about, Ron," Parvati said, giving him a look, "But Hermione, you can't deny he's the best looking guy in the school."

Hermione looked up from her small portion of casserole on her plate and her eyes fell on the Slytherin table. Malfoy was sitting with his cronies--long gone were Crabbe and Goyle. They'd been replaced by Blaise Zabini, Ivan Braizen, Mikail Winslow, and Devin Steele. Sure, the others were attractive, but Hermione had to admit, Malfoy beat them all out.

        "Well..."

        "Ohhhhh no," Harry said, shaking his head, "Hermione, remember all the times he called you 'Mudblood' and 'filthy' and everything? Could he _really_ be 'good-looking'?"

Hermione's glance turned cold, "No," she agreed, "He can't."

Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny watched her carefully, and saw her continue to glance at him. It had become an un-proclaimed battle between the boys and the girls; the boys tried to convince her that Malfoy was no good scum, and the girls tried to convince her that he was a well-bred, handsome man ripe for the taking. The boys had won this battle, but it was yet to see who would win the war.

Meanwhile, Malfoy continued looking up from his plate to throw a random glance at Hermione. Her name flowed off of his tongue easily. It fitted her; Hermione was one of the prettiest names he'd ever heard, and she was quite easily one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. He saw her smile at Potter, before looking back toward Little Weasley and the other girls. Her smile slowly faded and her face became guarded. He noticed she had that expression a lot; he assumed they were talking about something she didn't want to discuss. He shook his head; he needed to get her out of his mind. He had a Quidditch match coming up with Ravenclaw, and he didn't need any distractions.

Especially beautiful, graceful, eighteen-year-old ones.

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That evening, Hermione walked out of the Great Hall after dinner, headed for the library. She had her bag draped over one shoulder, and her hair was slowly falling free from her French braid. She pulled at the band holding it together, and ran her hands through her hair, letting it flow freely. She left the black band around her wrist, her eyes downcast in thought. Why were her friends fighting? It was open-hostility fighting--it was subtle. Parvati, Ginny, and Lavender kept trying to find ways to make Malfoy appealing to her, and Harry, Ron, and Seamus kept finding ways to make him even more appalling. She didn't know who to believe. Her mind went with the boys; they were absolutely right. He was a chauvinistic, conceited prick with a heart of stone. Her heart was a different story though. The girls didn't have to point out the obvious; he _was_ attractive. Hermione was sure he could be charming when the need called for it, but she'd yet to witness that time.

Suddenly, she felt herself bump gently into someone.

        "Oh, excuse me," she said, looking up and looking into those same green eyes she'd seen in Ancient Runes.

        "Not a problem, lass," The young man said in a delightfully British accent, "It's not every day a lad is lucky enough to have a beautiful thing such as yourself bump into him."

She raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

        "No harm done," he assured her, smiling. He held out his hand, "I'm Xander Vitrikson--I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you."

Hermione moved to shake his hand, but he turned it and kissed the top of her hand. She smiled.

        "I'm Hermione Granger," she replied, a little thrown off by this gesture.

        "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Granger," he told her.

        "Please, call me Hermione," she assured him with a smile. 

He had beautiful green eyes and soft-looking brown hair. His smile revealed dimples in his cheeks, and he was _very_ easy to look at.

        "All right, as long as you call me Xander."

        "Sure. I wish I could talk longer, but I have to meet my partner in the library."

        "May I escort you?" He questioned.

Hermione was _really_ thrown in a whirl by this act of chivalry. But she was not one to reject it, "If you'd like."

They walked down the corridor for a minute or so, when she finally looked up at him, "Is this your first year here?"

He nodded, "I attended Beauxbatons for the first six years."

        "That's odd," she commented, "Were you here three years ago for the Triwizard Tournament."

Xander shook his head, "I was needed by my father back in Wales, so I had to miss that. I heard all of the stories though."

Hermione nodded sadly. There was a comfortable silence before he spoke up.

        "So, you are Head Girl?"

She nodded again, "Yes."

        "It's a large responsibility--you must have worked long and hard for it."

        "Yeah, I did. It cost me sometimes, but it was worth it."

He smiled at her as they reached the doors of the library, "Working on Ancient Runes?"

She nodded, "With my partner."

        "What is their name?"

        "Draco Malfoy?"

He straightened up, "Ahh, yes. The Head Boy."

Hermione nodded darkly, but said nothing.

There was a pause before he smiled at her, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Hermione. I hope we can talk again soon."

She grinned, "I'd like that."

        "As would I. Have a good evening," he said, as he turned around and walked back down the corridor.

Hermione stood in the same place for a moment, watching after him. He was certainly an interesting person. When she'd mentioned Malfoy's name, though, his expression had changed. She wondered why.

She shook her head and entered the library, her question unanswered.

She looked toward the back of the library. She knew Malfoy would be back there, and so he was--sitting at a table alone, leaning back in the chair.

        "You're late," he told her as she dropped her bag on an empty chair.

She shrugged as she sat down, crossed her legs, and pushed her hair over her shoulder, "So curse me."

        "If only I could," he replied quietly, with a sinister smirk on his face.  
She narrowed her eyes, resting her elbows on the arms of the chair and her hands in her lap, "I guess you didn't learn the last time, did you?"

        "The only reason you won," he said, leaning forward in his seat, "Was because of the explosion. In a fair fight, I'd kill you."

Hermione cocked her head to the side and smiled sarcastically at him, "Well, that doesn't give me incentive to fight fair, does it?"**********

He glared at her, "That doesn't shock me--Mudbloods don't know how to fight fair."

        "And pureblooded Death Eaters do?" She spat back, getting up and moving to find a book on Stonehenge.

He got up and followed, watching as she pulled a book down and skimmed the table of contents. He came up close beside her.

        "I'm not a Death Eater," he hissed, glaring at her.

She turned to face him as she slammed the book shut and put it back on the shelf, "You wouldn't have uttered those words four months ago, would you?"  
She moved off to find another book. She found on that worked, and headed back toward the table.  
Draco stood where he was for a moment, trying to calm himself down. In his anger, he had the strong urge to touch her. Not in anger; just to feel her skin on his. 

        **What the hell is wrong with you?** He rebuked himself, **You want to touch a _Mudblood_?!**

He moved back toward the table, grabbing a random book in his wake. She was enough to get his blood boiling, but enough to make it surge in harbored passion as well.

He walked up to the table and dropped the book on it, pulling up the sleeves of his shirt.

        "Do you see any Dark Mark? Any evidence that it was taken off?" He snarled, showing her every part of his lower arms.

Hermione looked at his arms; there _was_ no evidence of it. He'd never gotten the Mark? How does that explain his behavior at the war?

        "That doesn't explain anything," she replied coldly, "It doesn't explain why you were fighting for Voldemort when you weren't even a henchman."

        "I don't have to explain anything to you," he told her pulling his sleeves down.

        "If you don't, why are you trying to prove yourself to me?" She said, standing up in front of him.

        **Damnit**, he thought, **how the hell do I explain _that_?**

        "I don't want you spreading rumors about me," he informed her icily, his face inches from hers.

        "And you think I have nothing better to do with my time than spread rumors about you?" She said, moving her face toward his. Their faces were only three inches away, and she felt his breath on her face. It gave her tingles all over her skin, but she didn't show any of it.

        _I hate everything about you_

_        Why do I love you?_

_        I hate everything about you_

_        Why do I love you?_

He looked at every angle in her face, and smirked, "You tell me, _Mudblood_."

        "We are eighteen years old," she said, her teeth gritted in anger, "Can we please _act_ like it? You've been calling me that for six years."

        "And you're not sick of it yet?" He asked her.

She continued to glare at him, taking in the masculine beauty of his face. He was just beyond her reach, and it was annoying her.

        _I hate everything about you_

_        Why do I love you?_

_        You hate everything about me_

_        Why do you love me?_

_        I hate... you hate... I hate... you love me_

_        I hate everything about you_

_        Why do I love you?_

Her eyes darted to his lips, but she, at that moment, noticed that the library was oddly deserted, considering all of the Ancient Runes students had the same assignment.

        "You don't bother me, _Malfoy_," she said, enunciating his last name, "You think you're all big and bad--'I have money, I have power, so damn to hell anyone below me'. You need a serious reality check, Malfoy, considering if everyone below you worked together against you, you'd be the saddest person alive."

He glared into her violet eyes and felt anger and shame pull at his heart. She thought of him this way still, and for some odd reason it made him angry, and almost mournful. 

        "I am not the one who flaunts my perfection," he replied sharply, "You think you are the Queen of Sheba because you're the smartest witch in this school, and you're Head Girl, and you're friends with Scarhead. Without him, you'd be nameless."

She narrowed her eyes, "I'm friends with Harry because he's everything you're not."

He smirked, "He may be everything I'm not, but I have everything he doesn't."

        "What's that? A serious ego problem?" She shook her head, her breath on his cheek, "Big hint, Malfoy--people don't bother you, but they don't respect you either."

She turned around, grabbed her bag and the book, and walked out of the library, leaving a fuming Malfoy in her wake.

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Hermione decided to calm down by taking a walk on the grounds. How _dare_ he? He thought he was so much better than her, but _she_ was the one who put that scar on him! He hadn't learned his lesson the last time; this she knew for sure. But she didn't really feel like teaching him another one. Besides, part of her couldn't bear the thought of seeing him hurt or dead. 

        **Why? **she wondered, her arms crossed over her chest, **Why does that thought make me so sad? Four months ago I would have gladly been the one to cast the spell that ended his life. Now I don't want anything to happen to him? What's going on with me?**

Maybe it was because this year there was something more. There was that scar, and it made their feud more personal. She'd marked him, and he hadn't marked her. She knew that ate at him; the reality that she had bested him again. But why was he so jealous of her? Didn't he know his smile and his presence made her weak at the knees?

Of course he didn't. She'd _never_ tell him, and he wasn't a mind reader. He couldn't possibly know anything without her telling him. Then again, she tended to show a lot of feeling in her eyes. What if one day she forgot and let him see something? Something not meant for him to see? What would she do then?

        **I'd deny it, of course,** she thought to herself, **I'd tell him he _wished_ he saw something. I can be rather convincing.**

If she was so convincing, why couldn't she tell herself she didn't feel anything when she looked into his deep, cold gray eyes?


	7. Chapter VI

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_ xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Thank you to the 2 people (at this moment) who have read and reviewed my story! This chapter is dedicated to you: _Cloud of Mercy, _and _Suisei_! I love you guys ;) And I'm not egotistical, I just live on your suspense! ;)  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:_  
_*****No new characters***__

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Hermione didn't mention her row with Malfoy in the library to anyone; not even her best friends or Maya. She figured it was just one of those things, and that it would pass. There was no need to initiate that kind of conversation; it would just start that unannounced battle between the girls and the boys about Malfoy.

Hermione found herself staring into the fire that evening, sitting on the black couch in her common room in a pair of baggy black pants and a crimson tank top. Her books were spread over her lap and on either side of her. As she finished each assignment, books were closed and more room was made on the couch. Her pile on the coffee table slowly grew until she'd completed all of her homework. She didn't have to worry about any homework over the weekend, which was a very good thing.

She found herself staring at the orangish-yellow flames, wondering how it would feel to be with Malfoy. She knew they were forbidden thoughts, but she decided since she was alone, she could indulge for a moment.

She wondered how it would feel to hug his strong, masculine body. Was his skin as soft as it looked? She wondered how it would feel to have his large, strong, powerful arms around her body. Would they make her feel safe? Protected? His lips looked so soft--were they? Could he be gentle and passionate, or was he just a _wham bam thank you ma'am_ type of guy? She hoped for the first one, but one never could be sure.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the man on her mind walked into the room. He said nothing to her, regarding her only with a curt stare. She narrowed her eyes menacingly, but said nothing. Instead, she immediately began harshly scolding herself for her previous thoughts. This guy was no man--he was a monster. A monster could never feel love, or passion, or sensitivity. It wasn't in its nature.

And it most certainly was not in Draco Malfoy's nature to be or feel any of those things.

She decided she was not about to waste a perfectly good Friday evening sitting around the common room thinking about Malfoy. She stood up, and moved to put her books away; she had heard Seamus was going to be throwing a party in the Gryffindor common room in honor of the beginning of Quidditch season. It sounded fun, and Hermione needed something to take her mind off of Malfoy.

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Hermione emerged from her room fifteen minutes later. On weekends they were allowed to wear Muggle clothing, so she's taken the opportunity to wear some of her new clothes. She wore a short khaki cargo skirt that hit mid-thigh, and a black hooded shirt with three-quarter cut sleeves. She pulled the sleeves up and slipped on a pair of black flip-flops. Her hair was in French braid pigtails, and she had freshened her make-up.

She saw Malfoy sitting on one of the couches clad in only a black muscle shirt and black pajama pants, and her breath nearly caught in her throat. However, she hid her reaction and gave him a cool glance.

Draco looked up from his book (quite coincidentally, _The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet_) and he had to remember to keep his mouth shut. Her skirt was high enough to show an extensive view of golden-tanned leg, and her shirt hugged her trim waist snugly. He would have given anything to tell her how beautiful she looked, but he kept his mouth shut. Every time he came close to complimenting her, that horrid memory of falling against her flashed through his mind, and his pride kept his mouth shut.

        "Off to shag half of Gryffindor?" He commented icily, his voice chilling to the bone.

She narrowed her eyes, "Not in a million years. Not that you would understand _abstinence_-one word not in your vocabulary."

That comment startled the hell out of him. She was a virgin? But how could someone so beautiful be untouched? Every beautiful girl he'd ever met had been taken by another man already. Why was Hermione still unknown to a man?

        "What do you know-the Mudblood is saving herself," he hissed sarcastically, standing up and shutting the book, "Wouldn't have expected that from one such as _you_," he enunciated the last word.

One second, Draco Malfoy was putting his book on the coffee table, the next his left cheek was stinging harshly from the sharp slap Hermione had delivered to it.

        "I don't know who you think you are," she whispered, her voice shaking with dangerous anger, "But if I _ever_ hear you or learn of you talking about me that way again, I'll do a whole _hell_ of a lot more than slap you, you lame excuse for a human being. I've taken your _shit_ for too fucking long!" She said, glaring at him with such an intensity that he was slightly taken aback, "You should have learned the last time not to screw around with me."

And with that, she walked out of the Heads common room, hoping the party in Gryffindor tower could wipe away all thoughts of Draco Malfoy.

Draco stood dumbfounded. Had that really just happened, or was he imagining things? He put a hand to his cheek. He winced; no, this was definitely real. How dare she? How _dare_ she?! He was a Malfoy; the most feared and respected of all the names at Hogwarts, and this Mudblood had the audacity to strike him?

He collapsed on the couch and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. She'd gotten him again; beat him to the punch--literally. At that moment, he wondered if maybe he'd underestimated her.

  
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        "You _slapped_ him?!" Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender squealed fifteen minutes later. The Gryffindor common room was alive with wizard music, and there was one long table piled with food Harry, Ron, and Seamus had coaxed out of the kitchen elves. People were dancing and laughing and having fun. The boys were off mingling with other Gryffindors, their common topic of conversation being Quidditch.

Hermione nodded with a smile.

        "Why?" Ginny asked, looking at her friend suspiciously.

Hermione told them what had been said, and Lavender gasped.

        "He seriously said that?" She questioned.  
        "I told you guys he was no different than he's always been," Hermione told them as she crossed her legs and took a sip of pumpkin juice.

The topic of Malfoy slowly dropped, and they began talking about how Seamus threw parties that almost rivaled the Weasley Twins' annual bashes.

        "So, Hermione, are there going to be any balls soon?" Parvati questioned after the girls had moved to the corner of the common room and were leaning against the wall.

Hermione nodded, "The Prefects want one for Halloween, but Dumbledore hasn't okay-ed it yet."

        "If we have a ball before Halloween, we've got to have a Hogsmeade trip too," Ginny insisted.

        "Of course," Hermione agreed, "How else would everyone get their clothes and stuff?"

        "Just making sure you knew," Ginny replied with a grin as Harry, Ron, and Seamus came over with curled ribbon that would be seen on a Muggle birthday present, "May we?" Ron asked, motioning to the girls' hair.

They all nodded. Seamus attached Parvati's, Ron attached Lavenders, and Harry attached Ginny's and Hermione's.

        "Thanks," Hermione smiled warmly at her best friend as he looked at Ginny who nodded and was immediately tapped on the shoulder by Neville Longbottom.

        "Care for a dance?" Harry asked Hermione, holding out his hand. 

Hermione glanced at Ginny, who had already accepted a dance with Neville. She knew Harry and Ginny were close enough not to be bothered by such things as dancing with others. Besides, Harry was her best friend--and that's all he would ever be.

Hermione smiled and accepted, moving to the dance floor with her friend.

The Gryffindors partied in the common room until almost twelve-thirty the next morning, when Hermione finally put her foot down as Head Girl and told everyone to get some sleep--after all, the first Quidditch game of the season would be bright and early the next morning, and they all wanted to see it.

        "Thanks for the dances, you guys," she thanked Harry, Ron, and Seamus, hugging each of them goodnight.

        "Not a problem," They all replied as they headed toward the boys' dormitory.

        "I'll see you girls tomorrow," Hermione told them as she left the common room, and Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati headed toward the girls' dormitory.

Hermione walked silently through the halls of the school. She needed some fresh air before bed, and she knew if she was quiet enough, she'd be all right. After all, she could always make up a reasonable excuse; she _was_ Head Girl.

She walked out the front doors of Hogwarts and made her way to a large willow tree by the lake. Its branches were large enough to hide behind; she climbed through and did just that.

Sitting in the shelter of the willow and looking through the spaces in the branches, she felt complete peace. Even her confrontation with Malfoy wasn't troubling her anymore. Nighttime seemed to do that to her; there was a kind of seductive calm to it all, and it was a comfort to her--even in times of confusion and sadness. This was the same willow tree she'd come to the night after the war. Luckily, that specific tree had not been damaged. Even then, all of her thoughts and trouble had melted away.

        "Do you always sneak out of the castle in the middle of the night?" A baritone voice asked from her right side.

She jumped and looked over to see none other than Draco Malfoy climb through the branches and stand to his straight six-foot-one height.

She glared at him, getting to her feet in the process. She intended to leave the shelter of the willow and head back to the castle, but when she tried to pass him, he caught her upper arm in a tight, but not painful grasp.

        "Don't leave because of me," he told her. The fact that his voice held no condescending tone or hostility shocked the hell out of her. She looked up at him carefully, her eyes still guarded from showing any emotion.

        "You actually want me to be here? I thought having a Mudblood around you was one of the worst things a pureblood would have to go through."

He raised an eyebrow, "Now you know everything that annoys a pureblood?"

She rolled her eyes and took her seat again, part of her wanting them to fight, just so she could get all of her anger against him out. It had become a cancer--something that continued to grow and grow until it consumed everything she knew.

Draco seriously wanted to have a normal, civilized conversation with her. After all, she was his equal intellectually--could she hold a complex conversation?

        "What's that?" He asked.

She looked away from the moon and back at him, "What is what?"

He bent down and flicked the crimson and gold ribbons in her hair.

She shrugged, "Got them at the party."

        "The one thing _all_ Gryffindors are good at," he muttered sarcastically.

        "Maybe I didn't make myself clear six hours ago--I'm sick of your bullshit, Malfoy. Either be civilized or get the hell out."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Giving me ultimatems now, Mudblood?"

She glared at him, "Do you need me to make your other cheek bruised before you understand the point."

        "Ah yes, I noticed your handiwork," he said, fingering his bluish purple cheek tentatively, "Congratulations on a bruise well made."

        "Sod off, Malfoy," she said, her voice slightly tired and annoyed.

        "Why the open hostility, fair Mudblood?"

She rolled her eyes, "Maybe because I've had to deal with this for six years and I'm sick of it."

        "No one asked you to deal with it."

        "Well, if I was going to continue school, I didn't have much choice in the matter."

        "But you didn't have to finish school here--you could have gone to one of those Muggle institutions."

        "No, I was hoping your abnormally cocky mouth would finally betray you and you'd be gone," she said through slightly gritted teeth.

He was somewhat shocked at this response. It wasn't news that she didn't want him around; he didn't particularly want her around either. But she wanted him dead?

        "My death would be a welcomed event, wouldn't it, Mudblood?" He questioned coldly. 

        "Only if it were my hand you died by," she hissed back, her voice equally chilly.

His eyes sparkled maliciously, and her brown eyes reflected violet in the moonlight. She was pissed, and so was he.

        "And what if it wasn't?"

        "Then I'd get over it and celebrate. If it were by my hand, it would only be icing on the cake."

        "My downfall would bring only too much joy to you, wouldn't it, Mudblood?"

She stood, wiping her hands off on her skirt, "Not just your downfall, Malfoy--your destruction."

And with that, she left the shelter of the willow and made her way back to the castle, leaving a slightly impressed Malfoy behind.


	8. Chapter VII

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:** _xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Oh my gosh! You guys are so awesome!! I've gotten a lot of reviews telling me you like my story! I'm so glad you guys like it! Please, if there are little things you don't like about it, don't be afraid to let me know! Constructive criticism is welcome, but be gentle—I'm very sensitive ;)

**Big Shoutout To All The Reviewers So Far!: _~_**_ Cloud of Mercy ~ Suisei ~ FireSorceress1 ~ Dark Angel Lashana ~ Alcapacien ~ Pigwidgeon188 ~ Angel Moon Princess ~ Ookami-chan_!! BY THE WAY: some of the questions you guys asked… here are the answers: I don't know _how_ in the world I came up with the beginning poem and the Sorting Hat's song… It just came out! Hope you liked them, cuz I luv writing for you guys! And I'm a 15 year old girl! ;) Anyway, on the with the story…  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:  
**The Hufflepuff Quidditch Team                                      The Slytherin Quidditch Team

Susan Bones, _Captain and Chaser_                                  Draco Malfoy, _Captain and Seeker_

Owen Cauldwell, _Keeper                                               _Blaise Zabini, _Keeper_

Justin Finch-Fletchley, _Seeker                                        _Damien Sutherland, _Chaser_

Ricki San-Stevenson, _Chaser_                                         Willem Neversen, _Chaser_

Eleanor Branstone, _Chaser                                            _Devin Steele, _Chaser_

Kevin Whitby, _Beater                                                   _Ivan Braizen, _Beater_

Graham Pritchard, _Beater_                                              Mikail Winslow, _Beater_

_~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~_

The morning of the first Quidditch match dawned bright and crisp. The members of the Hufflepuff and Slytherin teams were dressed in their team robes; the Hufflepuffs' were the same bright canary yellow, but the Slytherins' were now a deep black with emerald green strips outlining the hems of them. They looked quite impressive, Hermione thought--especially on Malfoy.

        **I thought we'd gone over this,** she told herself irritably, **you don't need to be thinking about Malfoy. Remember all he's done to you.**

With this firm reminder to herself, she brushed her hands on the thighs of her faded, low-slung, hip-hugging jeans, straightened her black baby tee, and slung her House cloak over her forearm--she was going to have fun watching the match; with as little looking at Malfoy as possible.

Ginny, Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender started down to the Quidditch pitch while the boys finished their breakfast.

        "So he actually talked to you a little bit?" Ginny questioned as they walked down the lawns toward the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione shrugged, "We held a slightly-civilized conversation."

        "Slightly?" Parvati questioned, "Did it end on a good note?"

        "If you consider me telling him his downfall and destruction would be a welcomed event, then yeah--it ended on a great note."

Lavender raised her eyebrows, "You _said_ that, 'Mione?"

Hermione nodded.

        "I'm impressed," Lavender said with an awe-filled grin.

        "He's not as big and bad as he comes off as," Hermione said, "Did you see that bruise on his cheek this morning?"

The girls nodded. Hermione raised an eyebrow, clearly telling them she was responsible.

They all gasped and giggled, "_You_ did that?"

Hermione nodded.

        "Now I'm even _more_ impressed!" Lavender said, "Not only did you hit him, push him around, and taunt him, but you _bruised_ him? That's almost as good as that scar you left on his chest."

        "How did you know about that?"  
She shrugged, "I've seen him at Quidditch practice!" Lavender giggled, "He, Blaize, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin all have tendencies to remove their shirts."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "He's not _that_ fit!"

Parvati's eyes went wide with shock , "Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me, Hermione! He's the hottest guy in this whole school, and you know it," Parvati looked toward the field, "Whoever dates him this year is going to be the luckiest damn girl in the whole school."

        "You guys insist on saying that," Hermione groaned, "If you guys think so, why don't _you_ make a move on him?"

Lavender shook her head, Ginny held her hands up, and Parvati rolled her eyes, "For one, Ginny is already dating Harry," Parvati said, "For another, Lavender is interested in _Ron_," Parvati smirked, and Hermione raised her eyebrows at the new information, "And he would never go for me."

        "Why not?"

        "Because she's too bossy," Ginny chirped, receiving a slap from Parvati, "Oww! I was only telling the truth!"

Hermione laughed and attempted to change the subject, "So, Lavender," she began as they filed into the stadium and sat down, saving three seats for the boys, "Since when do you like Ron?"

Lavender blushed until her ears turned blood red, "_Parvati....!_"

        "Hey, she was going to find out sooner or later," Parvati defended herself.

        "So? How long?" Hermione asked, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

Lavender sighed, "Two weeks."

Hermione looked shocked, "So you've liked him since we arrived here and you never told me?!"

        "I don't want him to know!" Lavender said, "And I know you're really close to him..."

        "Yet his sister knows?" Hermione said, pointing to the red-headed sixth year next to Lavender.

Lavender looked at Ginny, before looking back with a sheepish grin, "Oh yeah... forgot you were related, Gin."

Hermione rolled her eyes and Parvati grinned as Harry, Ron, and Seamus appeared.

        "Sorry it took so long," Harry apologized as he pressed a quick kiss to Ginny's lips, sitting down next to her. Seamus and Ron nodded their apologies as Seamus sat inbetween Hermione and Parvati, and Ron sat on Hermione's right. Hermione looked down the row, seeing Harry on the end, then Ginny, then Lavender, then Parvati, then Seamus, then herself, then Ron. At that moment she felt a swell of happiness in her heart; any thoughts of Malfoy were pushed from her mind and replaced with thoughts of her best friends.

        "_WELCOME EVERYONE, TO THE FIRST QUIDDITCH MATCH OF THE SEASON!"_ Dean Thomas, the commentator, welcomed through tbe megaphone. The stands cheered, the Hufflepuffs holding yellow and black flags and banners with the badger on them; the Slytherins held black, silver, and emerald green flags with the signature serpent on them. Pansy Parkinson, who was notorious for being head-over-heels in love with Malfoy, held a sign that read, "Malfoy is my Slytherin Hero!" Many of the other Slytherin girls held identical signs, along with ones for some of the other Quidditch team members, including Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin.

        _"FIRST LET'S WELCOME THE HEADMASTER, PROFESSOR ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!"_

Every stand cheered loudly as Professor Dumbledore took his seat in the teachers' stand. Hermione, Harry, and the others clapped the loudest of all.

        _"SECOND, LET'S WELCOME OUR NUMBER ONE BENEFACTOR, MR. LUCIUS MALFOY!"_

The Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors clapped politely, and the Slytherin stands exploded loudly. It was tradition to introduce the important adults at the beginning of the first game of every season. Hermione hated the tradition, considering Slytherin always played the opening game, and she'd have to applaud for Lucius Malfoy.

        _"NOW, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND CHASER, SUSAN BONES!"_

Susan Bones flew out onto the field, and circled around before landing in the center.

        _"NOW, WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM: KEEPER CAULDWELL, SEEKER FINCH-FLETCHLEY, CHASER SAN-STEVENSON, CHASER BRANSTONE, BEATER WHITBY, AND BEATER PRITCHARD!"_

One by one the shots of canary yellow appeared in the air as they circled the stadium before landing in the center behind their captain.

The Hufflepuffs cheered loudly, stomping their feet and screaming at the top of their lungs. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors clapped and cheered loudly (though not as enthusiastically as the Hufflepuffs) and the Slytherins clapped politely.

        "_NOW, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE SLYTHERIN TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND SEEKER, DRACO MALFOY!"_

The Slytherin students exploded in loud cheers and screams, their feet stomping and their hands clapping as a shot of black, silver, and green came onto the stadium. Malfoy flew around in the circle before landing gracefully in the center of the stadium, about ten feet away from where the Hufflepuff team stood.

Hermione noticed his face was emotionless, and she could tell his focus was on the game. She already knew Slytherin would win--it was an undeniable fact; the Hufflepuffs were just not good enough. In fact, the only house who had ever defeated Slytherin was Gryffindor. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were too weak.

        "_NOW, WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE SLYTHERIN TEAM: kEEPER ZABINI, CHASER SUTHERLAND, CHASER NEVERSEN, CHASER STEELE, BEATER BRAIZEN, AND BEATER WINSLOW!"_

Several other black, silver, and green spots shot out onto the field and circled it, before landing behind their captain, who, in Hermione's opinion, looked the most intimidating and impressive of all. She glanced at where Lucius Malfoy was sitting, and saw a flash of pride swipe across his pale, pointed face. She knew he was proud of how impressive the Slytherin team looked; with his only son standing in front of them.

The next three minutes were spent deciding who would get possession first. Hermione saw Malfoy's and Bones' mouths move as they called heads or tails. Madame Hooch signaled to Dean, who announced..

        _"AND SLYTHERIN HAS POSSESSION FIRST!"_

The Slytherin stands cheered as Malfoy turned around, telling his team members some final instructions.

        "Shake hands, Captains!" Madame Hooch called. Hermione watched as Malfoy turned around, extending a hand to Susan Bones, who shook it, her face hard and her eyes narrowed.

Madame Hooch held up her hand, and as she let it down, she whistled.

        _"ANNNNDD WE'RE OFF! CHASER NEVERSEN HAS THE QUAFFLE. HE SPEEDS TOWARD THE HUFFLEPUFF GO--WAIT! HE JUST PASSED IT TO CHASER SUTHERLAND, WHO'S GOING TOWARD THE GOALS AGAIN...  HUFFLEPUFF BEATER WHITBY SENDS A BLUDGER TO CHASER SUTHERLAND-- WAIT! HE PASSED AGAIN! CHASER NEVERSEN HAS THE QUAFFLE...**BLOCK IT OWEN!** BLOCKED BY KEEPER CAULDWELL OF HUFFLEPUFF, NO SCORE."_

Malfoy barely heard any of Dean's commentary as his sharp gray eyes scanned below where he hovered, looking for any hint of gold. He easily dodged a Bludger that was sent his way as he continued to look. Any hint of gold and he would go for it.

        "_HUFFLEPUFF CHASER BONES HAS THE QUAFFLE--THIS IS BONES' SEVENTH AND FINAL YEAR OF PLAYING QUIDDITCH, AND SHE'S BEEN A GOOD PLAYER--**WATCH OUT SUSAN, THAT'S A BLUDGER!**_" There was a sickening "SMACK!" sound as the Bludger slammed directly into Susan Bones. Hermione squinted in disgust as Susan's lip began to bleed. 

        "There's no way Hufflepuff can win this," Ron said to her, "Justin's a good Seeker, but I hate to say Malfoy is better."

        "Malfoy is better," Hermione agreed as they returned their attention to the game.

        "_SLYTHERIN CHASER STEELE HAS THE QUAFFLE--HE'S HEADED DIRECTLY FOR THE CENTER HOOP... WAIT! TO THE LEFT, OWEN! **TO THE LEFT!**"_ Dean sighed, "_SLYTHERIN SCORES, TEN TO ZERO."_

Draco had definitely underestimated Own Cauldwell, the Hufflepuff Keeper. He'd blocked most of the Chasers' attempts to score. Then again, Blaise was blocking every shot of Hufflepuffs' too. Draco saw a flash of gold to his left, and sped that way to investigate.

        "_HUFFLEPUFF CHASER SAN-STEVENSON HAS THE QUAFFLE--SHE'LL HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING PAST BLAISE ZABINI, WHO HAS PROVED AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF THE SLYTHERIN TEAM--**THAT WAS A FOUL!**" _Dean insisted as the crowd looked up. Mikail Winslow, a Slytherin Beater, had just grabbed the back of Ricki San-Stevenson's broom and had swung her around, sending her sprawling toward the edge of the stadium, holding onto her broom with her legs. The Quaffle fell from her grasp. However, Madame Hooch didn't call a foul.

        _"SLYTHERIN CHASER SUTHERLAND HAS THE QUAFFLE--IT DOESN'T SEEM THE SEEKERS OF EITHER TEAM IS SEEING THE SNITCH. MALFOY, THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM, IS THE ONLY SON OF OUR BENEFACTOR, LUCIUS MALFOY--**IS THAT THE SNITCH?!**_"

Malfoy looked below him, and saw it. The tiny gold ball was hovering beneath him. It was a twenty-foot dive, and if he didn't pull up in time, he would hit the ground no doubt. However, it was worth it. He pulled himself into the sharp dive, and saw Justin following his action.

Malfoy urged his broom on, willing it to go faster. Just as he was about to touch it, two things happened at once. Both he and Justin were hit with a Bludger.

        "_OH! THAT'S GOT TO HURT! SLYTHERIN BEATER BRAIZEN SENDS A BLUDGER STRAIGHT AT FINCH-FLETCHLEY, SENDING HIM OFF COURSE, AND SEEKER MALFOY IS HIT BY A BLUDGER SENT BY HUFFLEPUFF BEATER PRITCHARD!_"

        "Shit!" Malfoy cursed. His upper right arm throbbed with the pain, but he ignored it. He'd lost sight of the Snitch--only seconds before he caught it.

        "Damn, bad luck!" Ron muttered, and Hermione grinned, leaning toward him.

        "The Slytherins just used the left Hawk Eye maneuver."

Ron raised an eyebrow, "You know what that is?"

She winked, "I spent some time learning over the summer."  
Suddenly their ears were met with the sounds of, _"SLYTHERIN SCORES AGAIN, TWENTY TO NOTHING."_

"You spent time over the summer learning _Quidditch_? Were you bored, Hermione?"

She shrugged, "I was interested after Ireland won the Quidditch World Cup," she replied, as, _"SLYTHERIN SCORES, THIRTY TO NOTHING!"_

Her best friend gave her a big grin, pulling her into a one-armed hug, "You're learning, Hermione," he assured her.

They continued to watch as _"HUFFLEPUFF SCORES, THIRTY TO TEN!"_

        "They won't catch up," she informed Ron, and Seamus listened in, "Malfoy will find the Snitch after Slytherin reaches a fifty point lead."

Ron was about to comment as, _"SLYTHERIN SCORES, FORTY TO TEN,"_

        "Maybe," Seamus agreed, having to raise his voice against the noise being made by the occupants of the stadium, "I hate to admit it, but Malfoy is a really good Seeker."

        "Not as good as Harry," Hermione commented, gaining a smile from her other best friend, who had overheard the compliment.

        "_HUFFLEPUFF IS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME STALLING SLYTHERIN--A BLUDGER HITS CHASER BRANSTONE AS THE QUAFFLE IS SAVED BY SLYTHERIN CHASER STEELE--**WATCH OUT, OWEN!**_" Owen Cauldwell missed blocking the shot by two feet, _"SLYTHERIN SCORES, FIFTY TO TEN!"_

At that moment, Malfoy spotted the Snitch, hovering in front of the Hufflepuff goal posts. He saw Justin below, looking toward the Slytherin end. If Malfoy could sneak over and get it before Dean opened his damn mouth, he could get it--

        "_SLYTHERIN SCORES, SIXTY TO TEN!_"

If he got the Snitch now, they would definitely win. It would be a short game, but if he didn't get it now, Justin could get it later. Malfoy was not prepared to lose the very first match of the season to the Hufflepuffs.

        _"SLYTHERIN SCORES, SEVENTY TO TEN!"_

He shot off toward the Hufflepuff goalposts...

        _"IT LOOKS LIKE MALFOY HAS SEEN THE SNITCH---THAT DIRTY ROTTEN...!"_

"Dean, could we keep personal opinion out of this?"

        "_SURE PROFESSOR... SO THE NASTY FILTHY SLYTHERIN CAPTAIN SEES THE SNITCH.. just kidding, Professor, it's just a joke...HUFFLEPUFF SEEKER FINCH-FLETCHLEY FOLLOWS!"_

Justin saw Malfoy heading toward the Hufflepuff goalposts, and shot off after him. If he could get there before the Slytherin Captain could, Hufflepuff would win. He had almost caught up with Malfoy; he was shoulder to shoulder with the Slytherin. Whoever could reach it first would win; it was a matter of will and determination.

Lucius Malfoy watched as his son fought with a Hufflepuff over the victory of this Quidditch match. Draco had always been a keen athlete and a swift, silent maneuverer. Lucius felt immense pride as his son's hand clasped over the golden ball, and Dean's voice shouted over the thunder of the crowd,

        _"SLYTHERIN WINS, TWO-HUNDRED AND TWENTY TO TEN!"_


	9. Chapter VIII

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Oh my gosh! You guys are so awesome!! I've gotten a lot of reviews telling me you like my story! I'm so glad you guys like it! Please, if there are little things you don't like about it, don't be afraid to let me know! Constructive criticism is welcome, but be gentle—I'm very sensitive ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

Lucius Malfoy, _father of Draco, former Death Eater, Hogwarts benefactor_  
  


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"That was _such_ a great game!" Ginny squealed as the seven of them headed back up to the castle after the game ended.

Harry gave her a look, and she rolled her eyes, "I know, it sucks that Slytherin won, but it was a good game nonetheless!"

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, I have to admit it was a good game. Hufflepuff never stood a chance though."  
Ron shook his head, "No, they didn't. Their Keeper is good, and their Beaters are okay, but their Chasers and Seeker just aren't good enough to beat the Slytherins."

        "Plus, Malfoy's been training the Slytherin's since the day after we came back, and I'm pretty sure they worked over the summer too."

Harry frowned at her, "How do you know that?"  
She looked up, and shrugged, "I think I heard it before the game."

They shrugged as they re-entered the castle and headed to the Gryffindor common room before lunch.

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Malfoy checked his upper arm as he changed into a pair of black slacks and a black polo shirt. It was bruised bluish-purple and seemed to keep throbbing. He tried to hide the mark, but the sleeve of his shirt didn't quite cover the entire bruise.

        "Oh well," he muttered as he ran a comb through his blonde hair and made his way out to where his father and Professor Dumbledore stood.

        "Very well done, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Dumbledore congratulated him, shaking his hand.  
Draco nodded, "Thank you, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore bid his goodbyes to Lucius as he moved to talk with Professor McGonagall.

        "I'm impressed, Draco," his father told him after the older wizard had left, "You played very well today."

        "Thank you, Father. Your opinion means a lot."

Lucius gave his son an endearing smirk, "I'm even more impressed by the way you handled your hit," he motioned to his son's upper arm, "I see it has bruised."

Draco looked at his arm, but shrugged, "I can have it mended in no time," he informed his father.

Lucius nodded, "I trust you will be returning to the Manor for Christmas?"

        "Unless yours and Mother's plans change before then," Draco replied to his father, his face emotionless.

        "We shall inform you if they do. Your next match is against… Ravenclaw?"

Draco nodded, "But Gryffindor plays Hufflepuff first."

        "Ah, well I shall be attending that game as well. I am very interested in seeing what tactics Mr. Potter has instilled in the team."

        "Yes," Draco agreed with his father, "I agree."

        "Your mother will be sending you an owl this evening," Lucius informed his son, "I shall see you in three weeks at the match."

Draco nodded, "Goodbye, Father."

        "Stay on course, Draco."

And with that, Lucius Malfoy walked toward his awaiting carriage, and drove out of the gates of Hogwarts.

After Lucius' carriage was out of sight, Draco let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't do any of those things when his father was around. In Lucius' mind, fidgeting displayed unsettled behavior. He was never unsettled, and he didn't expect his son to be either. However, Draco still had his quirks--running his hand through his hair, putting his hands on the back of his neck and standing/sitting with his elbows out, running his tongue along his teeth-he had little habits that used to drive Lucius crazy, so he'd learned not to do that.

His mind flashed forward to the end of the game. He'd seen the Mudblood walking back to the castle with her friends as he stood talking to Dumbledore-she looked nice that day. She seemed to look good every day, in his opinion. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't need to be thinking these things. The mere thought of her made his blood boil. The question was did his temperature go up with anger; or something else?

He shook his head and made his way back to the castle, his stomach growling intensely. He didn't realize how long he'd been standing there, but he knew it was time for lunch, and anything to preoccupy his mind at that moment was a good thing.

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Hermione walked out of her bedroom that evening to find Malfoy on the couch in black slacks and a black polo shirt, a large purplish-blue bruise just visible under one of his sleeves. She felt a pang of pity, but it was quickly pushed aside. She didn't want to pity Malfoy-she could hardly stand looking at him much less talking to him. Why was she pitying him? He was a monster.

She walked over to him and dropped a pile of parchment on his lap.

He looked at the parchment before turning his eyes on her.

        "And what is this?" He questioned in the same condescending tone he used every time she was around.

        "Our research," she spat coldly, moving to put her book back into her bag, "You didn't do it, so I did. Now you take care of the presentation."

        "Giving me orders, Mudblood?" He smirked humorously at her, "Never thought I would see the day."

        "Well you have, so get over it."  
She put her bag in the corner by the door and turned around to see Malfoy only feet away from her. She wondered how he had gotten up and over there so quickly, but shook the thought from her mind. All she knew was that he was _extremely_ close to her.

        "Get over it?" He whispered dangerously, his strong, large hands going onto her upper arms, holding her stiffly but gently, "Another command?"

        "You bet your ass it was," she whispered back with equal hate.

He raised an eyebrow, "You've got nerve, haven't you, Granger?"

        "Why wouldn't I? Unlike everyone else here, I'm not afraid of you."

He grinned maliciously, "You're not? Do you know what all you could suffer by at my hand?"

        "I should ask you the same question," she reciprocated, her hands going onto his elbows in an attempt of getting his hands off of her arms, "You already got hit once," she said, glancing at his chest before her eyes, flashing violet, met his again.

        "That was merely a scratch," he told her, his breath on her face, "What I can do is so much more."

        "Then what are you waiting for?" She asked impatiently, tremendous anger in her eyes, "Kill me. Torture me. Do whatever you want but I'll never follow your command, Malfoy."

He ran a finger down her face from her forehead, past her eye, and onto her cheek. His skin was like cool fire; scorching, but chilly at the same time. It was a very conflicting feeling for Hermione, but she tried to focus on beating him at his own war: the war of mind games.

        "Never?" He questioned, quickly deciding to have a little fun with her but reveal some of his harbored feelings at the same time, "I could give you everything," he whispered to her, his hands still on her upper arms, her back against the wall. Her hands still gripped his elbows, "Power… money… pleasure…"

        "Imprisonment," she hissed, "There are two things I want that you can never give, Malfoy. Not that I'd want jack shit from you."

        "What are those?" He questioned, his steel gray eyes burning into her deep amber ones.

        "Why should I even say them? You won't know what they mean."

        "Try me, dear Mudblood."

She narrowed her eyes and pulled his hands off of her arms, "Love and happiness," she told him as she glared at him, walked to her room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. Love and happiness. She was right again--those were two words that had never truly been in his vocabulary. It wasn't a new thing thought; he'd had tons of girlfriends freak out at him because he couldn't give them those two things. He supposed that the power, money, and sex could only satisfy for so long.   
He shrugged; he would have to learn love and happiness. And who better to teach him than Hermione herself?

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Sunday morning dawned rainy and windy. All of the Quidditch players were thankful for the weather-all practices had been cancelled.  
Hermione was thankful as well. She'd been planning on spending the day outside with her friends, but since the weather was so bad she took this opportunity to spend the day in the library, reading up on something that had been bothering her since the beginning of the year: the prophecy the Sorting Hat had talked about.

Dumbledore had confirmed it was true, but Hermione wanted to know more. Which houses had it been last time? What were the peoples' names? What was the story?

She sat in the History section of Hogwarts' library that afternoon, three books on the table, and one in her hands. She hadn't found anything of any use yet, but she was not going to give up.

She was interrupted, however, by…

        "Hello there," a friendly voice said.

She looked up, and smiled.

        "Hi, Xander," she greeted him warmly, "It's nice to see you again."

        "Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine," he replied with a smile, "May I?" He asked, motioning to the chair across from her.

She nodded, "Of course."

He sat down, and she closed the book, marking her page with her finger, "So, have you met anyone?"

        "I actually had the opportunity to meet your friends, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Finnigan."

        "Really?" She sat forward and grinned, "Are they crazy or what?"

        "Oh, they're quite amusing," he told her, giving her a smile that sparkled through his clear green eyes, "Mr. Potter is uniquely protective of you."

She raised an eyebrow, "What makes you say that?"

Xander shrugged, "When I mentioned you, he got very sharp and quizzical."

Hermione laughed, "Well, it's understandable. He's the older brother figure of the group.

Xander grinned, "You have no siblings?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm an only child. What about you?"

        "I had a brother, but he died."

She gave him a sympathetic look, "Oh, Xander, I'm sorry. It's got to be awful losing a sibling."  
Xander's eyes seemed shaded for moment, but his attention returned ot her, "Yes, it's bad, but I've gotten over it."

She nodded, "So are you the only one left, or are your parents still around?"  
        "My mother is," he replied, "My father died as well."  
She shook her head, "Oh, Xander, now I feel really bad."

He gave her a smile, "Don't be sad. It's been a while-it's not as hard anymore."

She nodded, and put her hand ontop of his, "If you ever need to talk about it…"  
He grinned, "I'll remember that," he told her, gaining a smile from her.

At that moment, someone strolled around the corner.

        "Granger," Malfoy's curt voice said, "Come with me."

        "Is that a request or a command?" She replied, her voice even and guarded.

        "Both. Come on."

She rolled her eyes and closed her book, "I'm sorry, Xander. I don't know what he wants but I'll see you around, okay?"

Xander nodded as he stood and looked at Malfoy.

        "Oh, Malfoy this is Xander, Xander, this is Draco Malfoy."

They shook hands, "Nice to meet you," Malfoy said, his voice short and quick.

        "Same," Xander replied, a wary look in his eye. Hermione could feel the tension, but didn't comment.

        "Bye, Xander," she told him as she and Malfoy walked out of the library.

Xander stood a moment longer before leaving the library as well.


	10. Chapter IX

          **~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys really like my story, huh? So many people have reviewed that I can't shoutout to all of them anymore! But you know who you are, and I love you all so much! Here's chapter 9 for ya!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

*no new characters*  
  


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"Who was that?" Malfoy asked after he and Hermione had left the library.

She looked up at him as they walked side by side, "I already told you, his name is Xander."

        "But who _is_ he? I've never seen him before."

        "He's a new student-why are you so uptight about it?"

He didn't answer, and she decided to poke fun at him a little.

        "Aww, big bad Pureblooded Malfoy is jealous!" She grinned at him, and he raised an eyebrow.

        "And what would I be jealous of?" He questioned, "Who you converse with, dear Mudblood, is of no concern to me."

She watched him carefully, but he didn't show any expression that would contradict his words.

        "What did you want, by the way?" She asked as they climbed the stairs to their common room.

        "You'll see soon enough."

She was a little apprehensive, but didn't not voice it. She was prepared to handle whatever he was going to throw at her; good or bad.

They reached the portrait, and Draco stopped.

        "Wait here," he told her as he went in. She waited outside their common room for about two minutes before he emerged.

        "Okay, close your eyes."

        "Malfoy…"

        "Granger, just do what I say," he told her, his voice clipped.

She rolled her eyes before following his instructions. She felt his cool hand in hers, leading her through the portrait hole. She almost shivered in disgust at his touch-or perhaps she shivered at something else?

        "All right," he said. She opened her eyes, and his hand quickly dropped from hers.

There was a pause, before Hermione looked up at him.

        "It's a box," she said, motioning to a small golden box on the coffee table.

He rolled his eyes, "Put the fire out, and I'll show you."  
She raised an eyebrow, but extinguished the fire and turned back around.

He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the box

        _"Sista Aparenamis!"_ He pointed his wand at the box, and seconds later the box opened and the entire room changed. Hermione and Malfoy now stood in the middle of what was left of Stonehenge. It was extremely realistic-Hermione was sure there was a breeze blowing, and a voice was narrating all of their report. It was a deep voice; most certainly not Malfoys.

        "_…Stonehenge went through three different building stages…"_

        "This is incredible!" She said, turning toward Malfoy, who was leaning casually against one of the huge stones, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, "You did all this from the research I did?"

He nodded.

She grinned, looking all around her as the scene changed and it showed people building the first stage of Stonehenge.

        "It goes through all three stages," He informed her, "It even shows rituals performed and such," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her around to see the witches and wizards standing in a circle around the fire that…

        "We're standing in the middle of the fire?" She gasped, looking down.

He nodded, a swell of pleasure coming into his chest as he saw her smile in amazement.

She turned back and looked at Malfoy, "Listen… Malfoy… this is really great."

        "I know," he told her, looking at her seriously.

        "Well… thanks for making it… making it as great as it is, I guess," she said, stumbling over the words.

        "Not easy to thank me, is it, Mudblood?" He asked her, "It's all right, I would figure as much."

She rolled her eyes, "Always have to ruin a great moment, don't you?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Do I?"

She nodded, moving to touch the stones as the narration ended, and they reappeared back in the common room, the box closed again.

        "Yes," she told him, "You have a habit of turning good things into bad."

His eyes narrowed for a moment, before he shrugged it off, "When you grew up the way I did, nothing is good."

        "So you're saying the day you get married will be a bad occasion?" She questioned, taking her cloak off, revealing her extremely curvacious body. Draco had to concentrate on the floor before her to keep his hormones and emotions under control.

He shook his head, "No," he said, "Because I'm not even sure I'll get married."

Hermione was shocked at this beginning of a somewhat civil conversation with Malfoy. She wondered if he hadn't put a spell on himself on accident while making the project. She shrugged it off and sat down on the couch, looking up at him.

        "Why wouldn't you get married? Surely you want children…"

        "If I end up half the man my father is, I won't ever have children."

        "Well, then you'll never have children."

Draco's eyes shot to her face, and she looked as honest as anything he'd ever seen.

        "What did you say?"

        "You just told me if you end up half the man your father is, you won't have kids. I said you'll never have kids."

        "Because I already am half the man my father is?"

        "Exactly."

This hit Draco Trysten Malfoy like a ton of bricks. It was true; he had become his father. He'd feared it so much that his worst nightmare had become his reality. She noticed it; but then again, who was she? A filthy Mudblooded know-it-all. Who had, however, in three short weeks, made a flame of something he'd never felt before take life in his heart. Should he trust her observation? 

        "Don't look so shocked, Malfoy," she said, standing up and looking at him, "You've been on your way to being a carbon copy of him since first year."

He stood there, his eyes blazing fire in her direction and his body rigid with personal disgust and anger.

        "What? Can't take the fact that you aren't your own man?" She questioned, coming closer to him, having the idea in her mind to seductively torment him, "Badass Draco Malfoy is nothing but a reproduction? Another Lucius?" She put her finger behind his silver and green plaid tie and pulled it out from where it was tucked behind his sweater.

She leaned on one leg, as she ran a finger down his chest, "See, girls need a man's man; one uniquely masculine, and not just a smaller edition of a man already made. Afraid of being your own man, Malfoy? Have to follow in Daddy's footsteps?"

He grabbed her wrists gently but firmly, and stared into her eyes.

        "If you find it so apalling, why are you so close to me?" He asked her, his voice a cold whisper, "Find it attractive, do you? Sick of the friendly, goody-two-shoes boys, so you have to go for the badasses?"

        "Perhaps," Hermione replied, her amber eyes glaring into his.

        "What, more exciting?"

        "More dangerous," she told him, his hands still on her wrists.

        "And what makes you think I would have anything to do with a Mudblood?"

        "What makes you think what I'm doing isn't a very well-played performance?"

He smirked, "I can see it in your eyes. That's always been your one weakness, you know. You show all of your emotions in your eyes-"

        "-And you don't," she hissed, her game ending and her true anger coming out.

        "You've harbored this anger for much too long; please, Mudblood, let it out."

        "I hate you," she told him, "You are a despicably, evil, hateful creature who deserves to burn in the fiery depths of Hell for all of eternity. You act all high and mighty, but your honor has been blackened for the longest time. Only you refuse to see what a bullshit lie you've been living. Mudblood or not, I am your equal--if not superior in some aspects. I wish you would just shut the hell up and treat others with respect; no matter _how_ low you think they are."

She took a couple deep breaths, having spat this all out at one time. He watched her carefully, taking in the graceful femininity of her face. Her amazing bone structure, her amber colored eyes, her luscious pink lips…

        "Is that all?" He asked condescendingly.

She pushed away from him, "Even now you talk with that same tone."

He watched as she moved toward her door.

        "You're a pathetic pureblooded prat and I wish I had killed you last summer."

With that she slammed her door, leaving Draco wondering why he hadn't just told her every feeling he was getting at that moment, instead of hiding it like he always did.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

_**Oh, tell me, tell me what this could be,_

_Could this be love that enthralls me?_

_Not just any emotion_

_But confidence, affection, and devotion._

_Miles apart, days away,_

_But this love chiseled in my heart will stay._

_Wanting to grasp you close to me,_

_But knowing I can't, Oh why does this be?_

_Caged, reaching out for you._

_So close and knowing you want this too._

_Illusions of love, you and me,_

_But knowing I have to hide this, slowly kills me.**_

She felt incredibly guilty about what she had said to him. But part of her knew it was 100% true-most of the time she wished she had killed him. He was so miserable, so hateful; he enjoyed causing people pain, particularly her. Didn't he deserve to die? Of course not; no one did, short of Voldemort. She knew the reason he was like that was because he'd been raised like that, and because it was a way of protecting himself. She'd seen it; seen it in his cold gray eyes. He was hiding behind the walls he'd taken so long to build. Why did she want to break through those walls so badly? He was just nasty, evil, despicable Malfoy. 

At that moment, a strange shiver went up her spine, and she became very tired.

_**Yet the one thing that keeps us together,  
Destroys us and will never untether._

_Yet in the reserve of our alone,_

_You hold me dear and no one is to know._

_Infatuation in every stroke and every kiss,_

_When we are apart I fantasize of this._

_This love is too herculean to waste,_

_So far away yet close enough to taste._

_Longing to be with you all the time,_

_Hungry for your heart to be one with mine._

_Take this hand and escort me to your ocean,  
Kiss me and fill me with your fragrant potion.**_

Why was she trying so damn hard to make him break? Probably to see him fall against her again; to see him as the weaker. He saw in her eyes; the hidden desire to see the real Draco Malfoy. He, however, _knew_ the real Draco Malfoy; he also knew that if she saw the real him, she wouldn't like what she would see. He knew underneath everything, he was just a lost little boy with no one to look up to; no one to follow. He looked out the window, her words still ringing in his ears. How dare she? She couldn't kill him; she was nothing more than a filthy Mudblood. She couldn't do shit to him.  
At that moment, a strang shiver went up his spine, and he became extremely tired.

_**One to make me winded, make me weak,_

_That one takes all there life to seek._

_And at this age, I have rescued love,_

_You were sent from a glorified spirit above._

_Every time I glance at your eyes, so pure and true,_

_I lose my senses and want to be retained by you._

_Craving to be in your arms, be held so tight,_

_Yearning, praying, begging with all my might._

_But I know this in no way will be,_

_You and me, at once, for all to see._

_This, this, what it could be,_

_For this forbidden love that captivates me.**_

At the same time, Hermione Elisabeth Granger and Draco Trysten Malfoy both lay down in their beds, and fell asleep, soon to be seeing the same exact dream.


	11. Chapter X

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Oh my gosh! You guys are so awesome!! I've gotten a lot of reviews telling me you like my story! I'm so glad you guys like it! Please, if there are little things you don't like about it, don't be afraid to let me know! Constructive criticism is welcome, but be gentle—I'm very sensitive ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

Taryn Michelle, _Head Girl of Hogwarts, 19th century, a Gryffindor_

Luke Devon, _Head Boy of Hogwarts, 19th century, a Slytherin_

Lyndi, _Taryn's best friend, a Gryffindor_

Kelsey, _Taryn's best friend, a Gryffindor_

Andrew, _Luke's best friend, a Slytherin_

Mitch, _Luke's best friend, a Slytherin_  
  


_~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~___

_**The sun was going down over Hogwarts, only it looked different. There were fewer towers and there weren't any trees missing in the Forbidden Forest._

_Hermione got up, and noticed she was sitting on the front steps of the school. She got up, saw people on the grounds she didn't recognize. They were dressed in uniforms she recognized as uniforms worn back in the 1880s at Hogwarts. She shook her head, unable to comprehend exactly **what** time period she was in. She looked around, trying to take in everything. It was slowly getting darker, when a spark popped out in front of her, and something in her mind told her to follow it. It bounced off toward that one particular willow that Hermione recognized as the one she frequently visited. She watched the people around her. Some were walking hand in hand, others were sitting randomly on the grass, talking with friends. She figured it was free time and majority of them had come out to enjoy the crisp autumn evening._

_She stopped sharply when she recognized one face._

_        **Malfoy, **she thought to herself, seething in rekindled anger. He was looking as debonair and confident as ever, but he stopped when he saw her too._

_        **How am I seeing Granger?** he asked himself as he saw her. They were both in their current school uniforms, which differed greatly from the ones worn by the dream people around them._

_Suddenly, a spark appeared in front of Draco, and he followed it as well. _

_The sparks led them to the willow. He was standing on one side, and she was standing on the other. He opened his mouth the hurl an insult at her, but he found he couldn't speak. She tried to talk as well, and she couldn't speak either._

_        **What is up with this?** She thought to herself, but stopped when both of them saw a girl coming toward the willow.  
Draco secretly hoped the girl wouldn't see them. She came closer and closer, and he noticed she had long, brown hair; curls cascaded down her back, and she had a very troubled look in her eyes. She looked around before climbing behind the shelter of the willow._

_Hermione saw this as well, and quickly noticed a young man coming closer as well. He was about their age, maybe a little older, with black hair and sparkling blue eyes. However, his eyes were guarded and somewhat troubled as he looked around. Making sure he wasn't being watched, the young man climbed behind the branches of the willow. Hermione and Draco both climbed through and watched as the two dream figures shared a passionate kiss._

_        "Does anyone know you're here?" The boy asked. The girl shook her head._

_        "No one."_

_        "Does anyone know about last night?" _

_        "Of course not."_

_The boy nodded, "Good."_

_        "Luke, I'm so sick of hiding," she said, putting her arms around his neck, "It's not fair to either of us."_

_He put his hand on her cheek, "I know, Taryn, I know. I hate hiding too. But you know what would happen if we told anyone."_

_        "I can't even tell Lyndi or Kelsey-"_

_        "Taryn, sweetie, I can't tell Andrew or Mitch either."_

_She nodded, running her hands down his arms, "I know. But it just isn't fair."_

_There was a long pause, in which Hermione and Draco watched carefully, trying to understand why both of them were seeing this dream. Their thoughts were interrupted as the young lovers began to talk again._

_        "Do you love me, Taryn Michelle?"_

_        "Of course I love you," she replied, looking at him with worried eyes, "Why would you ask that?"_

_The man named Luke looked at the ground, "I just…don't want to lose you…"_

_        "What brought that fear up?" She asked, looking at him carefully. Her green eyes searched his blue ones carefully as she waited for his answer._

_        "It's just…"_

_        "Has Jacob been telling you things again?"_

_Hermione was taken aback as the woman named Taryn stepped away from the man and looked at him, "Have you been listening to all he's been saying again?"_

_Luke stepped forward, "He's been saying things, but I don't listen. Taryn, I just need to know you love me. We've had problems before-"_

_        "-How can you ask me that? You know I love you! I proved it to you last night!"_

_Luke sighed and put a hand on the back of his neck, "I know. It's just… sometimes evil sounds so convincing."_

_        "So you would believe Jacob over me?" She questioned, her voice softening a little. _

_Luke shook his head, coming closer to her and taking her hands in his, "Of course I don't. I love you, Taryn, and I don't want to share you with anyone."_

_She grinned, "How can you make something so selfish sound so good?"_

_He smirked at her, "Practice, my love."_

_She rolled her eyes, before looking back at him, "Do you think what they said is true?"_

_        "About the prophecy?"_

_She nodded._

_        "I have no way of knowing," he told her, "All I know is that you've been enough of a miracle for me."_

_She smiled at him, "May I tell you something?"_

_        "Anything, love," he told her as his arms wrapped around her waist, nuzzling her neck._

_        "Last night," she whispered, "I was so glad you were the one."  
He smiled at her, "As was I," he looked somewhat shocked, "Who would have known-a Gryffindor and a Slytherin."_

_        "What a controversy," she said, acting apalled, "And when, may I ask, did I give you permission to put your devilish Slytherin hands on me, Luke Devon?"  
He smirked, "I've yet to hear your beautiful Gryffindor mouth complain," he replied._

_Hermione rolled her eyes. This was pathetic; it was like Romeo and Juliet mushy and disgusting. These were two enemies! How had they come up like this?_

_At that moment, the sky exploded with stars and silver explosions, and both Draco and Hermione looked out from the shelter of the willow branches. They both looked skyward, and in the sky was written:_

**_~For one hundred years, this freedom shall last,_**

**_But be careful friends--the past is the past._**

**_There is more to come, in years to come,_**

**_Only they will show you where true love comes from.~_**

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Hermione awoke with beads of sweat on her forehead. It hadn't been a _scary_ dream, but it was certainly  strange. Why had she seen Malfoy in it? 

As her head cleared, she came to her senses. She'd read about cases in which two people had the same dream and were in it together. But this was a little to odd for comfort. After all, with all the talk concerning the prophecy that Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat had mentioned, Hermione wasn't taking anything lightly. Could this be a sign for her? For Malfoy? She shook her head. Who were Taryn and Luke? She quickly snatched a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down the names. Taryn Michelle and Luke Devon. Hermione secretly wished she knew their last names, but they hadn't been mentioned in the dream.

At that moment, she froze. Malfoy. She had to face him. He would obviously want some answers, and expect _her_ to have them! What would she do? She could try avoiding him-it would take some work, but it wouldn't be too difficult; Seamus was throwing another party the following weekend, and with classes during the week, and Malfoy having Quidditch practice, it wouldn't be too difficult not to be around him.

Hermione, as she climbed into bed, decided it would be best if she avoided Malfoy; at _least_ until she got to the library. Then she could figure out who Taryn and Luke were, and then if Malfoy had any questions, she could attempt to answer them.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Malfoy didn't get another wink of sleep that night. The dream was enough to freak him out, that was for sure. Why had he seen that dream? And why had Granger been there? Taryn and Luke… those people had not been familiar at all. He'd never heard of them before, but he was sure that was the least of his worries. If Granger was there, she must have had the very same dream.

He shook his head; this was bullshit. It was a prophecy that he wasn't even sure had been fulfilled. Had Taryn and Luke lived past their seventh year? Had they grown old together? What was the rest of the story?

He groaned to himself as he lay back on his bed. It was a sign; that dream _had_ to have been a sign. Why else would he have had that particular dream? Furthermore, why would he have had that dream on the very same night as Hermione?

He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. He was beginning to think that Dumbledore hadn't just been trying to amuse the first years with an ancient tale. Maybe this prophecy was real, and it looked like he was part of it.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Dumbledore grinned to himself as he saw the Head Boy and Girl both laying awake in bed, the dream having scared both badly. He couldn't help but smile as the moon began to descend from its perch in the sky. The prophecy was going to come true-he had a feeling it would be soon too.

He looked up from his armchair by the fire. On one of his shelves stood a frame with two photos in it. There was one girl with lovely, curly brow hair and green eyes, and a boy with short cut black hair and clear blue eyes. They looked so happy; still were, as far as Dumbledore knew. He hadn't spoken to them in a very long time; nor had he seen Lila or Merle, their two children. He was sure, however, that if anything had happened to them he would have heard about it; in one form or another.

He smiled; it was happening again, and this time it would be different; much different. They were different people, with different pasts. But the prophecy had chosen, and there was no re-choosing now. It had to work, or they would die. In the history of the prophecy, only six people (three couples) had refused to follow the prophecy and had died because of it. He only hoped that they wouldn't fight it.

_Too_ much.


	12. Chapter XI

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** I've gotten SUCH a good response to this story! Do you really love it that much? *blushes* Awww, I feel so loved! Thanks for all of the support and I can't wait to see your response to this chapter! 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

Pansy Parkinson, _seventh year Slytherin who is in love with Draco_  
  


_~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~_

(A/N: due to the mention of time and stuff, I want you all to be clear that it's the last week of September in this chapter!!)

Hermione awoke the next morning with a painful headache. Even in her uneasy sleep, her mind had been working to figure out just what that dream had meant. She realized it was six-thirty and it was Monday. Two things that only added to her grumpy mood. She crawled out of bed and grabbed her robe. Hopefully a hot shower would ease the throbbing in her head.

She was careful to make sure Malfoy wasn't out in the common room when she snuck into the bathroom. She only breathed again after she was in the bathroom and the door was locked. She then proceeded to shower, the vanilla shampoo, conditioner, and body wash she used helped to dull the pain of her headache, but it was still very much there. She tried not to think about the dream as she dried off and wrapped herself in a towel. She unlocked the door and listened for a moment. She didn't hear any movement outside the door, so she slipped from the bathroom into her room. And not a moment too soon, either; just as her door clicked shut, Malfoy's opened.

She let out a very long breath as she heard the water in the bathroom turn on. 

        **That was close!** She thought to herself as she pulled on her clothes; buttoning her short crimson and gold plaid skirt, tucking in her white, long-sleeved blouse, pulling on her crimson and gold plaid tie, pulling up her knee-high black socks, and tying her black shoes. She glanced at the clock and realized she'd showered and dressed in less than ten minutes; quite a feat for her. She figured if she could get her hair and make-up done in ten minutes, she could get to the Great Hall and her friends before Malfoy even made it out of his room.

She silently thanked God she'd brushed her teeth before showering that morning; usually she brushed them after she got dressed. But now that the dream had had Malfoy in it…

        **Stop thinking about that,** she told herself as she applied smokey black eyeshadow and other eye makeup, **you're going to make your headache come back**.

But at that moment, as she took the towel off of her head and decided to let her hair to dry naturally and curly, she realized her headache was the last of her worries. She had to present the Ancient Runes project with Malfoy after breakfast.

        **Calm down, Hermione. You have to _present_--he won't have time to mention the dream. Then you can just get to Herbology with Harry and Ron before he can pull you aside!**

She logically calmed herself down as she clipped some of her hair back in a half-up half-down 'do, grabbed her black messanger bag and an extra quill, and slipped out of the common room. Malfoy, of course, oblivious to all of her thoughts.

  
~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

That morning there was a strange hush over the Great Hall. Even the teachers were talking in hushed tones; as if someone had died. Hermione felt strange walking into the Great Hall, but didn't interrupt the quiet. She sat inbetween Harry and Seamus.

        "Why is everyone so quiet?" She asked. Harry, Seamus, Ron, Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny all looked at her, before looking up.

Hermione, unaware that Malfoy had just asked the same question to his friends.

At the same time, both looked skyward and saw that the Enchanted Ceiling of the Great Hall no longer had _just_ the sky on it. It had words, written in loopy cursive across the expanse of the ceiling.

**~*_The time has come;_**

**_They have been chosen,_**

**_And now fourteen weeks until the day;_**

**_When two become one*~_**

"Oh, shit," Hermione muttered under her breath. The dream! It had to be the dream! Taryn and Luke were the ones who had fulfilled the prophecy last time; who were the next ones?

        **Oh _no_**, she thought to herself. **No, no… no there's no way. It can't be me and Malfoy. We were just there to… to see it… yeah, to see it and make sure the right people get it. It was Gryffindor and Slytherin last time-it can't be again.**

She calmed down after thinking of that. The last fulfillment had been between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor; it was another house's turn. Maybe this time it would be a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw? Or a Slytherin and Hufflepuff? Or a Gryffindor and Ravenclaw? There were any number of matches that could be made. She let out a long breath-she didn't have to worry about it. Gryffindor and Slytherin had already fulfilled it.

        "So?" She said to her friends, "Why is everyone so quiet about that?"

        "Well isn't it obvious? By Christmas the prophecy will be fulfilled!" Ginny squealed, getting glares from people at other tables.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Who cares? You and Harry are together; you guys aren't the prophecy."

        "We _know_ that," Harry pointed out, "But I-"

Harry was about to finish when Dumbledore stood up.

        "I believe all the students are here now," he said, "So I shall make the announcement. Yes, the prophecy is beginning to take place. The two meant to fulfill the prophecy have been chosen."

Whispers began filtering through the hall, and Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.

        "I know all of you are curious as to which house the two are from. However, as with tradition, we will only find out twelve hours after the message appeared. If I recall correctly, the message appeared at…?"

He looked at Professor McGonagall, who replied, "Five this morning."

        "Ah," he said nodded with a grin, "Five this morning. Well, that means at five this afternoon, we shall find out which house the two are from. We will not be told the names, but their houses will be revealed. Anyone whose curiosity is piqued enough, feel free to come to dinner early to witness the reveal."

Dumbledore sat back down, and the Hall exploded with whispers and excited talking.

        "Seamus," Ron said, getting the shorter man's attention, "Want to make a bet?"

Seamus grinned as he finished his Yorkshire pudding, "You know what I like, Weasley!"

        "Twenty Galleons says it's Gryffindor and Slytherin," Ron said, handing the gold to Seamus, who nodded, "I say it's not," Seamus replied.

        "We'll see," Ron smiled. Seamus nodded, and put a charm on the pouch in which he'd placed his twenty Galleons and Ron's, so that no one could steal any of it.

        "You guys are pathetic," Ginny said, but her attitude was given away when she grinned at them.

        "I'll be right back," Harry said, getting up and heading toward the Slytherin table.

        "What the bloody hell is he doing?" Ron questioned as Harry walked up to Blaise Zabini.

        "Signing his death warrant?" Seamus guessed, and Hermione watched carefully at Malfoy's and Blaise's expressions. She saw Blaise nod and shake hands with Harry.

        "Care to explain?" Lavender asked as Harry arrived back at the table.

        "Made a little bet with Zabini," Harry replied.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "And since when have you and Zabini been on speaking terms?"

        "Since the Quidditch World Cup. Not half bad-the better half of Malfoy, really," Harry informed them.

        "Well, what kind of bet did you make?" Hermione questioned, looking at him.

He smiled, "One hundred Galleons says the Gryffindor lion shows up first."

        "But there's no guarantee that Gryffindor is one of the houses!" Ginny exclaimed.

He winked at them, "That's what makes it such a risky bet."

Hermione shook her head; these guys weren't taking this as seriously as she was. Then again, they hadn't had the dream that she'd had. And even if they had, they probably wouldn't have seen Malfoy.

Or would they have?

        "You okay, Hermione? You look kind of pale," Parvati said.

Hermione shook away those thoughts, and focused on her friends.

        "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she replied, pushing her toast away, "Listen, I'm going to head to Ancient Runes… I'll see you guys Herbology."

She got up, shouldered her bag, and left the Great Hall, never once looking back at the ceiling.

        "She's always been a bad liar," Harry commented as they watched her leave.

Ron nodded, "She's probably just a little spooked from the whole prophecy thing. You know she hates premonitions and stuff."

Seamus grinned, "Yeah, remember how she walked out on Divination?"

        "How could we forget?" Harry said, "One of her finer moments, that's for sure."

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Hermione arrived in Ancient Runes before most of the students had. There were a few Gryffindors, but not many. She sat in the back, in the last seat closest to the wall. She didn't want Malfoy to see her the second he walked in the door.

Maya, however, did.

        "Hey!" She greeted her friend.

Hermione nodded, but didn't return the smile Maya had given her.

        "You okay?" Maya asked, as she sat in front of Hermione and turned around to talk with her.

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired."

        "Oh, I know what you mean," Maya agreed as more students came into the room, including her partner, Ricky Meckels, and none other than Malfoy.

        "Quiet down, class, quiet down!" The professor said as everyone got into their seats, "Today is presentation day! Who would like to go first?"

No one raised their hands, but instead looked around at everyone else. The only ones not looked around were Hermione and Malfoy.

        "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, why don't you do the honors?"

        **Shit,** Hermione thought as she reluctantly got up and handed the box to Malfoy, **figures, we would go first**.

When she handed it to him, she felt his fingers brush over hers, and it felt like she'd just stuck a key in a light-socket. Electric currents seem to run through them, but neither of them showed any notice. His fingers were cool, and surprisingly smooth and gentle, but she didn't show any reaction. She moved to the side of the room while he touched the box with his wand.

        _"Sista Aparenamis!"_ He said, before stepping back next to where Hermione leaned against the wall.

There were gasps as the classroom transformed into Stonehenge, and the loud, deep voice of the narrator began.

        "So," Malfoy said, as they watched the students getting up and touching the stones.

        "So," she replied, mentally cursing their professor for pairing them together.

        "Did you see the sign on the ceiling?" Malfoy questioned.

        "Yes," she replied, wondering if she kept replying like this, would he get annoyed?

        "You're the brain," he said, "Which houses do you think it will be?"

        "Dunno," she replied, proud of her aversion tactics.  
        "I'm trying to have a somewhat civil conversation here, Mudblood," he said in a low whisper.

        "Okay," she said, looking at him. He was standing facing her, and she was leaning against the wall, her arms folded across her chest. She had to admit, he looked handsome as usual; the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to the elbows, displaying his sinewy forearms, his blond hair was slicked back and his gray eyes searching her amber ones, trying to find answers to questions he hadn't asked.

        "I can't very well accomplish that if you don't stop using monosyllabic replies," he informed her.

        "What do you _want_, Malfoy?" She asked, exasperatedly, "I hope you're happy with that answer; because _that_ one was exactly **six** syllables."

He smirked at her smart remarks, "Very good, Granger. At least we know you haven't lost your skill in English."

        "Listen, Malfoy, unless you have something important or useful to say, I'd rather pay attention to our presentation."

He raised an eyebrow, "Are you imposing that at times I have unimportant, trivial things to say?"

        "That's exactly what I was suggesting," Hermione said, turning to face him, "At least you haven't lost your skill in reading between the lines, Malfoy."

He smirked, "I don't think I ever will. You keep me in practice, Granger."

        "What is with constantly using my last name? We're partners in projects, plus we're Head Boy and Girl--can't we just use first names?"

        "You want me to call you by your first name?"

        "It would be a nice change from constantly being reminded of my last," she replied, "What? Can't manage _Hermione_? I know it's four syllables, but honestly, I thought you could handle that!"

Draco narrowed his eyes with a smirk, "Well, _Hermione_, it doesn't look like you can even handle _Draco_--which is surprising, considering _that_ is only **two** syllables!"

She rolled her eyes, "I'll agree to use your first name, if you agree to use mine."

        "I never make deals with Mudbloods," he told her.

She narrowed her eyes, "I'm sick of _that_ too--you call Pansy by her first name."

        "She's a pureblood," he replied simply.

        "Albeit, not a very _pure_ one," Hermione replied, "You can call that wench by her first name, but can't handle mine? I thought Malfoys could handle anything."

Their presentation was coming to a close, so Malfoy quickly had to decide whether to leave their argument hanging, or to finish it. He, having remembered the dream and wanting her to be on good terms with him later (since he wanted some answers from her), decided to finish the argument there.

        "Malfoys _can_ handle anything, Hermione," he told her.

She was shocked, and raised her eyebrows to show him she was. He'd said her first name. He made it sound graceful and beautiful; it also sounded natural on his lips. She smirked at him.

        "See? You didn't burst into flames," she said as the presentation came to an end, "I think you'll survive using my first name, Draco."

She sat down at her desk again, and the class clapped as Draco too resumed his seat.

        "Very well done! Extremely detailed and well-thought out!" The professor praised them, gaining a smile from Hermione and a nod from Draco.

The rest of the class dragged on as the partners presented their projects. However, Hermione and Draco's minds weren't focused on anything having to do with Ancient Runes.

        **Why did I press so hard to have him say my first name?** Hermione asked herself, annoyed at her actions.

        **Why did I dignify her insult by using her name?** Malfoy questioned, **Because I wanted to?**

No answers came to either of them as the bell rang and they parted, Hermione headed to Herbology, Malfoy headed to History of Magic.


	13. Chapter XII

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Welllllll… nothing really to say except ENJOY! P.S. One line is from Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_—I DON'T OWN IT!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

_*no new characters*_  
  


_~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~_

Hermione battled herself for the rest of the day over why she had even spoken to Malfoy. Now that he knew she was on speaking terms with him, he would start asking questions about the dream-questions she didn't have answers to.

It was about four-thirty when the last bell released the students from class.

        "Hermione? Aren't you coming to the Great Hall? We're supposed to find out the houses tonight!"

        "We've got half an hour, Ron. I'm only going to check something in the library. I'll be back in ten minutes, I swear."

Ron nodded as Hermione left her group of friends and jogged to the library. She entered the musty smelling room and made her way to the Hogwarts: A History section. There had to be about ten volumes, but luckily, the time spans of each book were written on the spines.

Hermione ran her finger along the spines until she reached the volume that spanned the dates 1800-1890.

She flipped thorugh the pages until she reached the chapter for 1880.

        "_Hogwarts, by now extremely well established, began to form its own prophecies, curses, and traditions. One such prophecy is the Coalesces Oracle…_"

However, the paragraph ended there. The ink seemed to run together towards the middle of the page. It looked like water damage, but Hermione couldn't be sure. She informed Madame Pince, who assured Hermione it would be repaired by the following Saturday. She thanked the librarian and made her way to the Great Hall.

Hermione, discouraged at how close she'd gotten and then reached a dead end, sullenly made her way back to the Great Hall. Part of her didn't want to see which houses it was going to be. However, she knew if she didn't see it, she'd hear about it. She might as well witness it first hand.

        "Great, 'Mione! You're just in time," Ginny squealed as Hermione made her way over to the Gryffindor table. The ceiling had turned a milky white, the loopy message still visible. The color, however, had changed to a deep red. Hermione shivered; it looked a little too much like blood.

The Great Hall was bustling with people moving around, trying to find the best angle to see the sign, when it came. The teachers sat at the Teachers Table, quietly talking amongst themselves. The Great Hall hushed, however, when someone said,

        "Look!"

At that moment, two thousand pairs of eyes looked at the ceiling. The milky white swirled around and around, erasing the message, until it turned pitch black. Everyone held their breath as white writing looped across the black.

_"Two houses, both alike in dignity..._

_...One for the powerful...one for the brave..._

_Only now, when they are destined..._

_...Will they deliver? Or will they fall?..."_

Two seconds later, a golden and brown lion, rearing on its hind legs, appeared next to the writing. Another second passed, as everyone except Gryffindor wondered if their emblem would appear. Hermione hoped to see anything except the Slytherin serpent.

A moment later, a green and silver serpent wrapped itself around the lion, and another message appeared underneath the pictures.

_"The lion... and the serpent..._

_Never meant to be..._

_Until now."_

The students gasped, and seconds later, the hall buzzed with students talking and whispering. Hermione felt her heart drop from her throat into her stomach before returning to her chest. Gryffindor? And Slytherin? Who would it be? She only hoped it wasn't any of her friends; Lavender fancied Ron, Seamus fancied Parvati, and Ginny and Harry were already together. It was common knowledge--it had to be a seventh year. But which ones?

Draco, meanwhile, smirked at Blaise, who cursed.

        "Damnit! I owe Potter a hundred Galleons."

Draco shrugged, "Never bet on something as unpredictable as 'signs.'"

        "Yeah, yeah," Blaised muttered, digging in his pockets, "I better get this over with. Coming?"

        "You go ahead," Draco said as he watched his friend walk over to the opposite side of the hall. Of all the houses, Gryffindor was the loudest, all indignant and unhappy that one of their own would have to take up with a Slytherin.

        "Here you go, Potter," Blaise said, handing Harry a black pouch, "A hundred Galleons, just like we shook on."

Harry nodded, "Pleasure doing business with you, Zabini."

Blaise rolled his eyes and shot Harry a humorous smirk before nodding to the girls in the group.

        "Ladies," he said, "Forgive me, I don't know all of your names?" He looked to Harry for assistance.

Hermione felt a little suspicious at Blaise's straightforward courtesy, but remembered he'd been brought up in a family who believed manners could get you far in life.

        "This is Lavender Brown," Harry said, pointing to Lavender, "Parvati Patil, Hermione Granger, and my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley."

Blaise nodded, "Ahh, yes of course, now I remember."

        "And you know Ron and Seamus," Harry said, motioning to the other two members of the group.

Blaise nodded again, "Well, ladies and gents, it was nice meeting all of you, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you all again."

Ginny couldn't help but smile at Blaise's genuinely friendly face, and Lavender nodded.

        "Especially considering the prophecy is going to happen between Slytherin and Gryffindor," she told him.

Blaise winked, "Those Fates--sure know how to pick'em, don't they? Enjoy your dinner," he said as he gave them one last smile before turning around and walking back to Malfoy.

        "He's nice," Ginny commented. Lavender nodded.

        "I've always thought he was the sweeter of the Slytherins," Parvati commented, "Then again, I'm sure if you charmed Malfoy up enough-"

        "Come _on_, Parvati!" Harry exclaimed as Seamus and Ron were beckoned to by Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom, "If you think he's so bloody hot, go snog with him!"

        "Absolutely not, Harry James Potter!" Parvati said, sounding absolutely disgusted, "He's not my type! It's not illegal to fancy a guy's physique, is it, Hermione?"

Hermione, who had been daydreaming and not paying a bit of attention to her friends' trivial feud, shook herself out of her wandering thoughts.

        "Huh? Oh, no, no of course not."

Parvati slapped Harry's arm triumphantly, "See? Told you."

        "Hermione wasn't even paying attention. You could have asked her if the Earth revolves around the Sun and she probably would have replied the same."

        "That's not true," Hermione objected, "I heard what she said."

        "Oh really," Harry said, a sly grin on his lips, "What did she say then?"

        "Verbatem?" Hermione questioned, and Harry shrugged, "Well... she said something like thinking a lad is hot isn't a crime or something like that."

        "Close enough! Hermione wins, case closed," Ginny ruled, gaining a smile from Parvati and a raised eyebrow from Harry.

Before Harry could bust out with a mushy comment, however, Ron and Seamus hurried back over.

        "Listen to this!" Seamus said, "It turns out Millicent Bulstrode likes Neville! That could be the prophecy!"

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender ,and Parvati all replied to this with loud bursts of laughter. Seamus turned beet red before growing annoyed, "What is so bloody funny?"

        "N-n-n-neville and M-m-m-millicent?" Ron panted, "You've got to b-b-be kid-d-d-ing, mate!"

        "Why is that so unbelievable?" Seamus questioned.

        "Seamus, man, this is _Neville_ and _Millicent_ you're talking about. Why would Fate choose _them?_ If you want my opinion, the person from each house is going to have power in that house. It's got to be the powerful ones. What else would any of the other students have to offer?"

Hermione was tempted to mention her dream, but decided against it. She knew if she talked about it, she'd be bombarded with questions she wasn't prepared to answer. So instead, she kept her mouth shut and listened to her friends' conjectures as to what kind of person could fulfill the prophecy for each house.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

The next morning, students were still talking about the signs of last night and that the two biggest enemy houses, Slytherin and Gryffindor, would be the ones to fulfill the prophecy.

Hermione arrived at breakfast that morning a little uneasy. She'd had another dream; it wasn't the same one, and she hadn't seen Malfoy in it. She'd seen herself standing on a balcony, and heard herself reciting the famous words of Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_. She'd seen her 'Romeo', but hadn't been able to make out his face. It was blurred from her view. She'd awoken after she and her 'Romeo' had come close to sharing a kiss.

Now she sat in the Great Hall, forcing down as much oatmeal as she could. She'd lost her appetite in the past few days, her dreams freaking her out enough to make her forget about eating. 

She'd just finished her pumpkin juice when someone shouted, "It's changed again!"

Everyone seemed to know exactly what that person was talking about, and in seconds every pair of eyes in the Great Hall, Dumbledore's included, were on the ceiling. It had turned a deep crimson, and in gold writing, flowing letters produced these words:

_"Ay me! My only love sprung from my only hate!"_

        "Shit," Hermione muttered, her heart going in her throat. She'd had a dream... a dream with _Romeo and Juliet_ in it, and now, here was a line from that same play! In the same place where the houses had been revealed only hours earlier. This was getting too creepy for comfort, and Hermione was certainly scared.

Her friends noticed.

        "Hermione? You look like you've seen a ghost! Are you okay?" Harry questioned, touching her arm.

She looked down from the ceiling, and realized her breathing was very forced and shallow. She focused on breathing normally, and nodded, "I'm fine. I'm fine, Harry, just a little dizzy. I'll be all right in a minute or so."

Harry looked at her disbelievingly, but turned to their other friends and said, "You guys go ahead. I'll wait here with Hermione. If we're late, explain to McGonagall, okay?"

Ron, Seamus, Lavender, and Parvati nodded. Harry have Ginny a quick kiss before she left for her sixth-year Herbology lesson.

        "Are you sure you're all right?" He questioned quietly, trying once again to get an answer now that no one was around.

Hermione took a deep breath, "Yes, Harry, I'm fine. I didn't get much sleep last night, that's all."

        "Are you positive?" He asked, "You haven't been eating all that much..."

        "That could be it as well," Hermione agreed, standing up and shouldering her bag, "Come on. We don't want to be late for Transfiguration."

Harry eyed her suspiciously, but agreed, slinging his bag over his shoulder and following her closely out of the Great Hall.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Unknown to Harry and Hermione, a certain pair of silvery-gray eyes had witnessed the whole thing. As of late, Draco had begun to watch Hermione more closely. He'd seen the fear on her face when that line from _Romeo and Juliet_ had shown up on the ceiling. He'd seen her try to cover it up in front of her friends. She'd probably claimed to be sick or something of that sort. That lie could work too--she was paler and thinner than she had been only weeks earlier, but she didn't look completely washed out.

He decided he was going to make an effort to be nice to her. After all, if she fell for it, it could be of use to him to have her as a friend and ally.

Little did he know, another pair of eyes had watched her, silently mourning the fact that his house hadn't been in the prophecy with Gryffindor. His plan would be a lot harder than expected; especially if she was the woman from Gryffindor to come into the fulfillment.

        **No matter,** he thought, **I can still get her right where I want her, and then the plan will fall into place even more nicely. The only drawback is if it destroys him because she fights it, she'll die as well. **

He paused for a minute, watching her leave the Great Hall with Harry, **Oh well,** he soothed himself, **two birds with one stone. Convenient no matter what. Revenge is sweet,** he agreed with the age-old saying as he gulped down the rest of his pumpkin juice and made his way to Divination.


	14. Chapter XIII

**~*The Passion of a Dragon*~**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Dummm dee dummm… again, not much to say… :-D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:

_*no new characters*_  
  


~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

"Professor McGonagall, may I borrow Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked that morning. It was already halfway through Transfiguration, and Hermione had already completed the day's assignments.

        "Of course, Headmaster," Professor McGonagall replied kindly, before turning around, writing something on a slip of parchment. She turned back around and gave it to Hermione.

        "This is the homework. It's due next class."

        "Thank you, Professor. Have a good day."

        "You too, Miss Granger."

Hermione tucked the slip of parchment into a pocket in her bag and waved goodbye to her friends, shrugging at the inquisitive look Harry gave her.

She stepped out into the corridor along with Professor Dumbledore, and followed as he walked toward the Arithmancy classroom.

        "How has your first month been, Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked pleasantly as they climbed a flight of stairs.  
        "Busy, sir," she replied, "But not overwhelming."

        "What do you think about this prophecy of ours?" He questioned, a playful grin on his old, wrinkled face.

        "I think it's ... well it's interesting, sir," she replied, "I'm a little concerned about who the two might be, but I'm sure half of the school is too."

Professor Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, they are quite curious. I've had many students ask me if I knew who the two were."

He let the statement hang, and knew she was struggling with the prospect of asking herself.

        "Surely they know you are not a Seer?" She questioned, and Dumbledore grinned.

        "Well, some of them believe that I do have that specific power, which, you are correct, I don't."

Hermione nodded, "It will be exciting, that's for sure."

        "Ah, yes, it will be. I remember the last time this prophecy came around. The fulfillment was successful, luckily. The previous one hadn't been, so when the students were revealed, I was slightly worried. They were excellent students, full of potential and idealistic prospects for the future. and if they hadn't fulfilled the prophecy, it would have been difficult to lose them."

Hermione nodded, hoping Professor Dumbledore would mention the names. He, however, did not.

They stopped in front of the Arithmancy classroom, and Dumbledore stepped in for a moment, leaving Hermione in the hall. She silently wondered why she'd been pulled out of class, but figured she would find out soon enough.

Seconds later, Dumbledore emerged, a very bored looking Malfoy following behind him.

Hermione gave him a nod, a little apprehensive at the idea of greeting him with a smile just yet. He nodded back, the same apprehension running through his mind. He, however, didn't have a problem stealing glances at her. Today she looked ravishing. Sure, she was wearing the school uniform, and she looked a little pale in the face, but she was still gorgeous. Her hair was curly today, and she'd pulled it into a ponytail, a few tendrils pulled free to frame her face. She wore a silver chain with a four-leaf clover charm on it, she had on three silver rings, and subtle make-up. Overall, she was gorgeous. The vanilla scent that seemed to flow with every movement she made was only an added bonus to his already satiated senses.

He, however, would never voice these admirations or fulfilling traits to her. He still wasn't pleased with the mark she'd left on his chest, and he didn't plan on being pleased with it any time soon. He wasn't even sure it could be removed; it had hit him hard, and it had been Dark Magic she'd used. That fact continued to amaze him; Hermione Granger, goody-two-shoes know it all good girl had used Dark Magic on him. That was something he wouldn't fail to mention the next time the subject came up.

        "Hershey's Kisses," Dumbledore said as they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to his office. Hermione shot a sideways glance at Malfoy, but said nothing. God, how she _hated_ how perfect he was! Not a hair out of place, not a mark on his porcelain face... very _masculine_ porcelain face. His eyes were sharp, and his eyebrows were sleek; his high cheek bones leading down to a full, but somewhat narrow mouth. He had a sharp chin, but it fitted his face nicely. Hermione had witnessed that face bear many different expressions: Pride, every time he won a Quidditch match; anger, every time she beat him in their academics; happiness, whenever Slytherin won the House Cup; and pure evil, the night she scarred him.

She shivered slightly, but remembered too late that he had a keen eye, and caught every little detail of everything. He saw the shiver out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing. He wasn't in the mood to have a row with the Mud--er, Hermione, in front of the Headmaster.

        "Please, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, take a seat," Dumbledore said, motioning to two purple velvet chairs that appeared out of nowhere. Hermione sat down, impulsively crossing her legs and resting her hands in her lap. Malfoy sat leaned back in his chair, his hands resting on his thighs. 

Dumbledore was told a lot by this scene. Only his mind would understand it of course, but by such a simple thing as their posture when sitting, he knew the blunt hatred between them wasn't so blunt anymore.       

        **So, it has begun,** he thought to himself, but said nothing and expressed no thoughtful expression on his face.

        "I apologize for pulling you out of classes, but with your schedules there was no other time in which to speak with both of you at the same time."

Hermione and Malfoy each nodded, and listened, waiting for the Headmaster to begin.

        "As Head Boy and Girl, you two are responsible for a multitude of things. I haven't mentioned them to you because I wanted your first month to go as smoothly as possible, considering the events that happened last year."

Hermione moved a little in her seat, easily expressing her discomfort with this topic. Malfoy, however, did not move.

        "So now, considering you've had ample time to adjust to school once more, it's time to explain your duties to you."

Dumbledore reached into a drawer to his left, and pulled out a piece of parchment."

        "So, let's see," he said, looking through his spectacles onto the parchment, "Item number one: you will be responsible for planning all balls and functions for the students. The Prefects will have a hand in it as well, but you two have final say."

Hermione nodded, and Malfoy tipped his head.

        "Item number two: you will be responsible for setting up the patrol schedule for the halls. Now I realize Voldemort is no longer a threat--" Dumbledore paused, remembering a former Death Eater's son was Head Boy, "--But there are still other things to keep in mind; students out of bed, you know..."

He resumed looking at the paper, "Item number three: you _are_ allowed to deduct House Points. However, you are only allowed to do this if you see or hear of behavior that is not allowed. Now I know you both are from Houses with a difficult past... and this prophecy will only add to the tension, but you are not allowed to deduct points over trivial things such as feuds or disliking someone in the opposite house, or _any_ house for that matter. Do you understand?"

The two nodded.

        "Now, as you know, Halloween is approaching, and we've had several requests for a Halloween ball this year. This, however, is up to yourselves and the Prefects of each house. I have no problem with any functions you wish to have, unless of course they conflict with exams or other business in Hogwarts. Therefore, if you do decide to hold a ball at any point in time, I shall request that you submit a plan and statement to me, and I shall okay it. Other than that, the rest is up to you."

        "Excuse me, Professor," Hermione said after he finished, "But I am curious--why are you so lenient about the number of functions?"

Dumbledore gave her a smile, "Ahh, I figured one of you would ask that question. The reason is that it promotes inter-House relations. And goodness knows, anything to bring the Houses closer together is a good thing."

Hermione nodded before sitting back in her chair. She only heard half of whatever else Dumbledore said, considering she'd spotted something on one of his shelves that caught her eye. It was a picture frame. An ordinary picture frame--there was nothing extraordinary about the frame itself. The picture inside, however, was enough to almost make Hermione gasp.

In the photo were two people, who looked at her and waved. Her eyes went wide. It was the two people from her dream! Taryn and Luke!

        **Well,** Hermione thought,** that answers my question of whether they survived or not... and whether they stayed together.**

The photo was of Taryn and Luke at their wedding.

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Hermione didn't tell her friends about anything that had begun to happen concering the prophecy. After all, how could she be sure it meant anything? It could be just a trick the teachers decided to play in hopes of boosting Inter-House relations. Then again, after what Dumbledore said, maybe not. She was just so conflicted about every little coincidence that seemed to be happening after her dream that she couldn't bring herself to talk about it. After all, if she was the person from Gryffindor destined to fulfill the prophecy, who was the person from Slytherin?

        **With my luck, it'll be someone from Malfoy's little posse**, she thought bitterly to herself, **or even better, it'll be Malfoy.**

If she had had this thought six months ago, she would have probably been sick and then died. The thought of feeling anything but hate for him would have killed her. But now...

        **No,** she reprimanded herself, **no, I don't think of Malfoy as anything else but a pureblooded prat who always gets in my way.**

Didn't she?

~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~*x*~

Malfoy didn't know if she'd seen the photo, but he had. The smiling couple in that frame had been the same two people in his dream; Taryn and Luke. The two that had fulfilled the prophecy last time. Was it just him, or was it just a little too convenient that that photograph was there, in plain sight, when Malfoy was sure he'd never seen that photo in Dumbledore's office before.

He shook his head; this prophecy stuff was a bunch of bullshit. Sure, the dream and ceiling business in the Great Hall was very convincing, but he didn't believe in anything he couldn't see. And he sure as hell couldn't see a prophecy.

Malfoy entered his room and closed the door. Part of him wondered where Hermione was, but the other half scolded him for even thinking about it. Why should he care what that Mudblood did with her time? She was lucky he agreed to call her by her first name! She didn't deserve to be in his thoughts, however.

He quickly changed into athletic clothes; he had Quidditch practice in thirteen minutes and he didn't want to be late.

As he pulled on a white tee and a pair of black pants, his mind wondered to her again. Why had he become so attracted to her in the past few days? She was still the dirty Mudblood--nothing in that department had changed. Plus, she was a know-it-all, bossy... but one of the most exquisite creatures he'd ever seen. She thin, curvy, but graceful; she moved like a delicate swan--gently floating from one place to another.

        **Sappy,** Malfoy thought to himself, **how pathetic can you get?**

He snapped out of his reverie and left his room, not noticing the figure floating outside his window, watching him.

        "Soon," the figure whispered to itself, a sly grin appearing on its lips, "Soon. He's already questioning his true feelings about her. It's happening a lot faster than I expected, but no matter--it's getting around that time when I can start to have a little fun with Malfoy."

With a cruel laugh, the figure flew away.


	15. Chapter XIV

**The Passion of a Dragon  
****By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Here's chapter 14! I hope you all enjoy and THANK YOU for all of the reviews! :-D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**  
_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nothing else had happened concerning Malfoy and Hermione until the day of the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff Quidditch match. The day dawned windy and chilly, but not uncomfortable. The air of Halloween was around.. after all, they only had two weeks until that night. But at that moment, the Gryffindors were pumped up and excited, extremely confident in the members of their team--not worried about Halloween. Harry was grinning uncontrollably, and Ron was eating more than usual.

"Why, exactly?" Hermione questioned as Ron finished his oatmeal and moved on to pancakes.

"Boosts the metabolism," Ron muttered, his mouth full of pancake.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and Parvati whispered rather loudly, "Wouldn't eating too much slow you down?"

"I heard that, Parvati!" Ron said, and Hermione giggled at her friends.

Harry's hands were fidgeting in his lap, and Hermione took one, squeezing it reassuringly, "Relax, bud," she told him, "You're going to do fine. The _team_ will do fine; you've trained them well."  
He gave her a smile, putting his arm around her shoulders, and hugging her, "Thanks, 'Mione. It's good to know you guys will be watching."

"Are you kidding? Parvati brought banners!" Hermione told her friend, who laughed as Parvati nodded and showed him.

"Hey, we're going to head down," Ginny told Harry, whose arm was still around Hermione's shoulders in a buddy-buddy fashion, "Good luck, love," she told him, giving him a kiss before motioning to Hermione and the other girls.

"Good luck, Ron, Harry," Hermione said, smiling at them both before she walked out of the Great Hall, passing a glance in Malfoy's direction as she went.

Unknown to her, Malfoy caught the glance and smirked. So he wasn't the only one with a change of heart. Then again, flirting had been a little more integrated in their recent arguments then it had been before, and they were starting to recognize each other's style of flirtation. His was domination; hers was resistance. This was interesting, considering the two happened to compliment each other: when he tried to dominate, she resisted him, making it a harder challenge. But he didn't pay much attention to those little details. He was more focused on the major indications of their feelings toward each other changing. For instance, she'd offered to help him on a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem in exchange for him explaining a difficult Quidditch play to her (he, of course, had no idea she had become interested in Quidditch over the summer.) He'd agreed, and it had worked out beautifully. Only minor insults were thrown.

Now he was beginning to hope for glances from her; or subtle touches. It was getting pathetic, in his mind, but he found himself hoping she would brush her hand over his during potions, or any other time. He would never admit these hidden desires, of course, but he thought about them.

"Come on, D," Blaise said, tapping his friend's shoulder, "We better get down there. Your dad will want you to sit with him."

Draco nodded, "He wants you guys up there too."

"All right. Let's go."

With that, Draco, Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin made their way to the Quidditch field.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malfoy and his friends sat with Lucius that morning for the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch match. He couldn't help but look at the Gryffindors, who were decked out in their finest crimson and gold, ready to cheer their team to victory. He shook his head; the last thing he needed was to be thinking of the Gryffindors; he needed to focus on watching the tactics of both teams. All the other teams would be no problem beating, but Gryffindor--Gryffindor was a threat.

_"WELCOME TO THE SECOND GAME OF THE QUIDDITCH SEASON!"_ Dean Thomas announced, resulting in explosions from the stands.__

_ "NOW, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND CHASER, SUSAN BONES!"_

Susan Bones flew out onto the field, and circled around before landing in the center. The Hufflepuff's cheers were loud, but not as excited as they had been before the Slytherin/Hufflepuff game.

_"NOW, WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM: KEEPER CAULDWELL, SEEKER FINCH-FLETCHLEY, CHASER SAN-STEVENSON, CHASER BRANSTONE, BEATER WHITBY, AND BEATER PRITCHARD!"_

The stands applauded as the canary yellow specks flew out onto the field. The Hufflepuffs bellowed cheers and whistles from their stands as their team stood on their end of the field. The Gryffindors, however, were preparing to scream for their team.

_"NOW JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND SEEKER, HARRY POTTER!"_

Malfoy, Ivan, Blaise, Mikail, Devin, and Lucius all clapped politely (albeit not enthusiastically) as Harry flew out onto the field, circled around, and landed about ten feet from the Hufflepuff team.

The Gryffindors made ear-piercing, excited noise for a full three minutes after Harry had come out.

_"ALL RIGHT, GUYS, SHUT UP!" _Dean finally had to say. It took another thirty seconds, but the Gryffindors did manage to be quiet.

"_NOW, WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM: KEEPER WEASLEY, CHASER MCDONALD, CHASER ANGELOU, CHASER NYLER, BEATER GORBICHOV, AND BEATER VALMONT!"_

Again, the Gryffindor stands erupted in a loud frenzy of noise as their Housemates flew out onto the field, decked out in their crimson robes with gold stitching.

Hermione watched as Susan and Harry called heads or tails to determine who would go first. Madame Hooch signaled to Dean, who announced:

_"HUFFLEPUFF HAS POSSESSION FIRST!"_

The Hufflepuffs cheered, and the Gryffindors clapped, but to them it didn't matter who had possession first; whoever got ahead in the points first and then got the Snitch was all that mattered.

Harry turned around, giving a few last minute hints to his team before telling them,

"Look at our House," he motioned to the Gryffindor stands, where banners and flags were flying in the air, "Look at all the support they're giving us."

There were banners of, "Weasley **IS** Our King!" and "We LOVE Gryffindor!" and "Harry Is The Seeker For Me!" and "Gryffindor DOMINATES"

"Look at how sure they are that we're going to win," Harry told his team, and they all smiled, "Now you guys know what to do; this is _Hufflepuff_. Get everything else except the game out of your head and let's serve these canaries on a silver platter!"

The Gryffindor team had a hands in before yelling, "GRYFFINDOR" and mounting their brooms.

"Shake hands, Captains!" Madame Hooch called. Harry walked toward the center, as did Susan Bones, and they shook hands, both with focused expressions on their faces.

Madame Hooch held up her hand, and brought it down just as her whistle sounded.

_"ANNNNNDD WE'RE OFF! HUFFLEPUFF'S CHASER BONES HAS THE QUAFFLE, SHE SPEEDS TOWARD THE GRYFFINDOR GOAL POSTS—**WATCH OUT RON, SHE THREW IT!** BLOCKED BY GRYFFINDOR KEEPER WEASLEY, NO SCORE!"_

The Gryffindors cheered loudly, stomping their feet, screaming, whistling—making any sort of noise they could to express their allegiance to the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

_"ALL RIGHT, GRYFFINDOR CHASER ANGELOU HAS THE QUAFFLE… LOOKS LIKE SHE'S HEADING STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE—**WATCH OUT, JADE, THAT'S A BLUDGER!** ANGELOU SWERVES JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE BLUDGER SENT BY HUFFLEPUFF BEATER PRITCHARD! ANGELOU PASSES TO GRYFFINDOR CHASER NYLER, WHO HEADS TO THE LEFT GOAL POST… OH WAIT! SHE JUST FAKED IT AND THREW THE QUAFFLE TO CHASER MCDONALD! NICE THROW, RIVA! CHASER MCDONALD AIMS FOR THE CENTER HOOP—OH! CHASER NYLER COMES IN AND STEALS THE OPEN QUAFFLE, HITTING IT THROUGH THE LEFT GOAL POST! GRYFFINDOR LEADS, TEN TO ZERO!"_

Hermione screamed and applauded as Natalie McDonald and Riva Nyler high-fived in mid-air, pleased that their idea had worked.

_"FABULOUS JOB BY THE GRYFFINDOR CHASERS. BUT NOW THEY'RE ON THE DEFENSIVE. HUFFLEPUFF CHASER SAN-STEVENSON HAS THE QUAFFLE, HEADING TOWARD THE GRYFFINDOR GOALPO- OH! THAT MUST HAVE HURT!"_

Hermione watched as Ricki San-Stevenson was hit straight on by a Bludger sent by Gryffindor Beater Nikoli Gorbichov.

_"THE QUAFFLE IS LOOSE! GRYFFINDOR CHASER ANGELOU RECOVERS THE QUAFFLE, GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESSION!"_

Harry was hardly paying attention to anything Dean was saying. He knew the Gryffindors were ahead…

_"-GRYFFINDOR SCORES, TWENTY TO NOTHING!-"_

But his main objective was seeing and catching the Snitch before Justin Finch-Fletchley could. Harry never underestimated any team at Hogwarts, but he wasn't about to let Hufflepuff beat them.

Something caught his eye to the left as, _"-GRYFFINDOR SCORES, THIRTY TO NOTHING!-"_

"I think Harry saw something," Hermione whispered to Ginny as they watched Harry pause in mid-air and look around.

"I think you're right," Ginny replied as they watched Harry look around frantically. Luckily, Hermione noticed, Justin was about twenty feet below him, and over toward the Hufflepuff goal posts. If the Snitch was somewhere around Harry, Justin would never get there in time to snatch it out of Harry's grasp.

Harry, however, didn't seem to have seen anything, so he continued to fly about, his sharp eyes looking out for any sign of gold or even the flapping of wings.

"_-GRYFFINDOR SCORES, FORTY TO NOTHING! THEY'RE **REALLY** GIVING HUFFLEPUFF A BEATING!-"_

The Hufflepuffs booed as Gryffindor Beater Dominic Valmont sent a Bludger straight at Eleanor Branstone, knocking the Quaffle out of her hands and into the hands of Gryffindor Chaser Riva Nyler.

_"IF THE HUFFLEPUFFS DON'T SCORE SOON, THEY WON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHANCE OF CATCHING UP IF THEIR SEEKER SEES THE—**IS THAT THE SNITCH?!**"_

But Harry had already seen it and was diving for it. The little winged ball of gold was fifteen feet below him, hovering near the Gryffindor goal posts. Justin Finch-Fletchley zoomed to that side of the field, but it was too late—he'd never be able to get there and get it before Harry did.

"GO HARRY! COME ON, GET IT!" Hermione, Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender screamed.

"'ATTA BOY, HARRY! GET IT, OLD CHUM!" Seamus called as the Boy Who Lived wrapped his hand around the struggling luminescent ball.

"_AAAANNNDDD GRYFFINDOR WINS, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY TO NOTHING!"_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well, you certainly have your work cut out for you," Lucius commented as the stands began to empty and the teams headed to the changing rooms. Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin had headed down from the stands to talk to some of the Slytherins.

Draco nodded, standing up and facing his father, "Yes, father, we do."

"If my memory serves me correctly, Hufflepuff managed to score against you during your match?"

Draco nodded, "I've been working Blaise at better defending of the goal."

Lucius tipped his head, "Good. What of the Beaters?"

"Mikail and Ivan are good, but they need to be better. I've been drilling them as well."

Lucius gave his son a smirk, "I'm proud of your leadership skills, son. If you train them as well as Potter has trained his players, the Championship will be between Slytherin and Gryffindor."

Draco smirked back at his father, "As it should be, Father."

"Indeed. Well, I must be off—your mother is having the Tufts over for luncheon. Which reminds me—that is also something we shall need to discuss when you return at Christmas."

"Yes, Father."

"Stay focused, Draco."

"Take care of yourself, Father."

Lucius smirked good-naturedly, "Worrying about your father in his old age?"

Draco smirked back in the same way, "Just making sure you remember you're not twenty anymore."

Lucius laughed, "Oh, if only I was. Enjoy your young years while you can, son. They pass too quickly."

Draco nodded, "I'll remember that. Goodbye, Father."

Lucius walked away, climbed into his carriage, and pulled out of Hogwarts' gates.

Draco moved to walk back to the castle when he saw her. Part of him was tempted to walk up and talk to her, but he quickly changed his mind once that guy walked up next to her. What was his name? Xander. That's what his name was. Draco felt anger surge in his chest as he saw Xander smile and put his arm around her shoulder in a hug before removing it. Draco watched Xander carefully. There was something in his eyes and expression that were very unsettling for Draco. Xander had a look behind his eyes that made him seem two-faced.

"Come on, D, let's go get some lunch," Blaise said, coming up behind his best friend.

Draco cast one last glance at Xander and Hermione before following his friends back to the castle. He was suspicious of that man, and he wasn't afraid to tell her about it.


	16. Chapter XV

**The Passion of a Dragon  
****By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Dummm dee dummm… again, not much to say… :-D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:  
**_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione walked back up to the castle with Xander, smiling at his charming demeanor. He knew how to smile and wink and look at a girl in ways that would make her head swim with happiness.

"So are you into Quidditch at all?" She asked, smiling up at his six-foot frame.

His green eyes sparkled with his smile, "Well, I was at the Quidditch World Cup, if that qualifies as being 'into Quidditch.'"

"Oh, it definitely does! Who were you hoping would win?"

He grinned and raised an eyebrow, "Ireland, of course!"

Hermione smiled, "Good. I was hoping for Ireland too."

"Who wouldn't?"

She shrugged, "I have no idea."

They reached the Great Hall, and Xander touched her shoulder, "I'll talk to you later," he told her.

She nodded, "All right. Have a good afternoon."

"And you, lass," he told her with a smile as he moved to join the Ravenclaw table.

Hermione was beaming as she sat down at the Gryffindor table between Harry and Parvati.

"What are you so happy about?" Parvati asked, noticing the look on Hermione's face.

"Well," Hermione began, "For one, we won the Quidditch match.."

"We most certainly did!" Seamus said, pounding the table and throwing a napkin in the air.

Hermione smiled, but didn't comment on anything else that was making her so happy.

They ate lunch in a rather quick fashion, considering one of the Prefects had wanted to meet with her over the Halloween Ball plans that were beginning to take shape.

"I'll drop by the common room later, you guys," she told them as she stood up and left the Great Hall, heading toward the library where the meeting was supposed to take place. She straightened her black halter top, and ran her hands down the sides of her faded, boot cut, low-slung, hip-hugging jeans. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she'd applied smokey eye makeup and a nude lipstick on her lips. She didn't know _why_ she was so worried about her appearance—there was no one to impress.

**Ah ha! **She caught herself, **That's a down and out lie! There _is_ someone to impress.**

She closed her eyes for a moment. She was right, of course. There was someone to impress. Not that the logical part of her would agree that he was worth impressing, but her conscience told her he was.

**All right,** she admitted to herself, **all right, so maybe I am interested in impressing Malfoy… or maybe making him jealous?**

She shook the thoughts out of her head as she entered the library to find all four Prefects there.

"I thought it was only Lanora who wanted to talk to me," Hermione asked as she sat down across from the fifth year she mentioned.

"Well, when Owen, Riva, and Keith found out, the wanted to come too," Lanora explained for the others. Hermione smiled at Owen, the Hufflepuff prefect, Riva, the Gryffindor prefect, and Keith, the Slytherin prefect.

"All right," Hermione said, "Let's talk, then."

The four Prefects and the Head Girl spent the rest of the afternoon talking and scribbling notes on parchment. They managed to plan out the Halloween ball and Hermione promised to drop off the plans to Professor Dumbledore before dinner.

The group left the library and headed to the Great Hall. Hermione overheard Lanora and Riva as they entered the Great Hall, "She is seriously the nicest person ever!"

Hearing that made another smile come to Hermione's face.

Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table with his friends, staring at nothing in particular until Hermione entered the Great Hall.

**Why the hell do you get so excited whenever she shows up?** He asked himself. The answer was obvious, however—he liked her.

**Like,** he asked himself, **or love?**

No! He didn't _love_ her! Who could? She was a dirty, filthy, know-it-all Mudblood. Plus, he was a Malfoy—was he even capable of love? He didn't know—he'd never loved anyone before.

"Hey, D, what did your dad say about that Tuft chick?"

"Marcella?"

Blaise nodded.

"He still wants me to marry her."

"Why?" Ivan asked, looking up from his dinner, "I grew up with Marcella Tuft and she's not the prettiest thing in the world."

"Nor is she the most interesting either," Blaise added with a grin.

Malfoy nodded, putting his fork down, "No kidding."

They were about to continue the conversation when someone called out, "Look!"

Every person in the Great Hall looked skyward, and noticed the swirling cloudiness of the ceiling. Then black scratchy writing appeared.

**_The heavens smile down upon,_**

**_The two whose hidden desire_**

**_Is brighter than the dawn_**

Needless to say, the topics of every conversation quickly changed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione bid her best friends goodnight as she moved to the painting that guarded her common room. Elvira yawned and smiled at Hermione.

"Alone, dear?" The painting asked, leaning casually on the frame.

Hermione nodded, "Why?" She asked, a puzzled look on her face.

Elvira the Elusive just grinned sneakily, "Nothing."

"Is Malfoy in there?" Hermione asked, pointing to the painting.

Elvira shook her head, "No, but I'm sure he'll be around."  
Hermione shrugged, "_Infinigus_," she said, and the portrait slid forward, and Hermione entered the common room, seeing the fire crackling merrily in the fireplace. She moved to her bedroom and changed into a pair of white shorts and a black tank top, each color displaying her brilliant golden tan. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and took off her jewelry.

She moved back out to the couch, thinking about Malfoy. They'd managed to flirt incoherently in their arguments, and she was beginning to realize that perhaps what was between them now wasn't malicious anger and hate… perhaps something more… _angelic_.

**Ha,** she thought to herself, **angelic is not a word that describes Draco Malfoy.**

She sat on the couch, ironically wrapped in a Slytherin blanket, staring into the fire. Why was she thinking about him so much? Who cares if they were flirting… they were teenagers! It was perfectly understandable.

Wasn't it?

At that moment, Draco walked into the common room and saw her, staring into the fire wrapped in a Slytherin blanket.

"Nice blanket," he commented silkily, his voice low but not condescending.

Hermione looked down on her lap and saw the black and emerald green and silver blanket. She shrugged, and he smirked at her. He was sure weeks ago she would have thrown the blanket aside in disgust, but she hadn't yet, and didn't look like she was planning on it.

Hermione thought he looked gorgeous tonite. He was wearing black slacks and a black long-sleeved dress shirt that buttoned up the front. The top three buttons were undone and she could see the white of his wifebeater underneath it. The outfit definitely flattered his fair complexion and light hair and eyes.

Little did she know he was looking at her thinking along those same lines. Her bronzed skin, her dark, silky hair, her smooth complexion… not to mention the extensive amount of skin her tank top exposed. She was like a beautiful golden goddess, and he felt powerless against her beauty.

"The message on the Great Hall ceiling changed," he informed her, "Thought you'd be interested."

"What makes you think I would be interested in something as trivial as a stupid prophecy?" She asked, looking at him for a moment before her gaze returned to the fire.

He smirked at her, "Because you are hoping the prophecy includes you."

"What makes you say that?" She asked, standing up and glaring at him.

"Because you've never been the center of attention and now there's the slightest chance that you will be."

Hermione stood defensively, "What the hell makes you think you understand me?"

He moved closer, brushing a stray lock of brown and gold colored hair behind her ear, "Because, like I said, your eyes give you away every time."

Hermione, despite her initial thought to push his hand away, found herself unconsciously liking the feel of his hand on her face.

"You see? Your beautiful little mouth can talk all day long, but everything else contradicts you."

She glared at him, but didn't move.

"And you don't let anyone see anything of you except cruel, heartless anger. It's a wonder you know what to look for."

She turned around to fold her blanket, when suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him again, her arms in his firm but gentle grip.

"Oh, dear Hermione, I know what to look for. I've seen it since we returned here. I won't lie to you; compared to what you looked like before, you are beautiful now. It seems to me your Gryffindor conquests no longer satisfy you."

"You son of a bitch," she spat, "You know I have never done anything like that."  
He smirked, "Waiting for a real man?"

She narrowed her eyes, with a cunning smile, "Of course I am; why waste it on anyone else?"

"If I were you, I'd be careful just what _kind_ of men you go after," he whispered, his lips dangerously close to hers, "That Xander character—"

"Is the big, bad, dark Draco Malfoy jealous because I'm interested in another man?" She questioned, her voice a dangerous whisper, the hidden charm and passion coming through little by little, "Why would one so regal and privileged as you worry about what a dirty little Mudblood did?"

He ran his hands down her arms, and smirked at her, his attraction to her becoming more and more evident, "Why let anyone else enjoy such a beautiful thing?"

"Now I'm a possession? You go from bad to worse, don't you, Malfoy?"

"Come now, Hermione, can't manage my name?"

Hermione at that moment, felt the burn of his fingertips on her bare arms, and the gravitational pull that appeared to be pulling them together became stronger.

"Of course I can, Draco," she said, putting a hand on the back of his neck, running a finger down the center of it, outlining his spine.

He got tingles from her gentle touch, and he gave her a good-natured smirk, "I knew you couldn't resist me."

She raised an eyebrow, "If memory serves me correctly, _you_ were the one who told me you could give me 'power,' and 'pleasure-'"

"Care for me to make good on that promise?" He asked her, his lips meeting with the skin on her neck. She nearly screamed at the intense wave of electricity flooding from that spot, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"You're despicable," she whispered.

"You're filthy," he told her, moving away from her neck and looked into her amber eyes.

In one smooth movement, his lips were on hers. Sparks of electricity seemed to explode from every inch of her skin as his lips danced with hers. They were amazingly soft and moist; more pleasant than she would have thought. He was gentle too—which was amazingly unpredicatable. His arms went around her waist and her arms went around his neck. Their bodies pressed together as his tongue ran along the seam of her lips. Despite everything the logical side of her was screaming, she allowed him entrance; almost begged him for it. His tongue tasted every sweet crevice of her mouth, and she returned the favor. She couldn't believe she was kissing Malfoy; pureblooded, spoiled, conceited prat Malfoy. At that moment, however, he wasn't those things anymore.

He was sexy, gorgeous, intense, sensual Malfoy.

Malfoy couldn't believe he was kissing the Mudblood; the know-it-all, prissy, goody-two-shoes Mudblood. But to him, she was no longer these things; she was the sexy, beautiful, passionate, sensitive Hermione. He felt her arms go around his neck and her hands ran through his hair.

He pulled back and looked at her, "Maybe that'll give you something to think about."  
And with that he left her standing, rather flustered, in the center of the common room, her lips tingling and the intense electricity from him still running through her body.

"Damnit!" She said, angry that he'd been able to fluster her like that. She grinned, however.

"Revenge is sweet, dear Malfoy," she said as she left the common room and shut her door, already planning her counter attack on him.


	17. Chapter XVI

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** WOW! YOU guys seriously have shocked me at how much you like my story! I feel soooo honored that you guys have put me on your Favorite Authors/Favorite Stories lists (for all of you who have told me in reviews that you have) I love you guys and I'm so glad you like the story! Here's a lil bit of "naughty" fluff for ya (it's really not that dirty—they just make out HAHAHAHA!)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

October passed by quickly; classwork took up most of the students' time, but they dealt with it as best they could. The Halloween ball passed easily; Hermione was not able to attend because she was hit with a bad case of the flu and had to spend the night in the Hospital Wing. Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny, however, had arrived the next morning and recounted the entire night.

"Malfoy didn't dance with anyone, 'Mione," Parvati said with a wink. Hermione had casually mentioned the kiss, and from that point on, they'd mentioned Malfoy with a certain smile on their faces and a look in their eyes.

"I don't _care_, you guys, seriously!" She insisted after they'd mentioned what he'd worn and what he'd done.

"Oh, come _on_, Hermione!" Lavender said, looking at the cards and flowers Hermione had received from her friends, "You know you're interested a little bit at least!"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ooh, Hermione, who is _this_ from?"

Lavender held up a single blood red rose with a small piece of parchment attached to it.

"I have no idea," Hermione said, frowning as she took the long-stemmed rose from Lavender and flipped open the parchment.

_Hermione-_

_I can give it all to you, if you want it._

_ -D.M_

She couldn't help but stare at the message, a small smile creeping onto her face. She quickly remembered her friends were still at her bedside, and were watching her.

"It's not signed," she lied, putting it behind her pillow.

Parvati, Ginny, and Lavender noticed where she'd hidden the rose, but they didn't comment. For them, it wasn't worth it getting her all defensive and angry while she was sick.

After they left, she pulled out the rose. This wasn't the first time he'd said that. He could give her a lot, too-power, money…happiness?

That was a tough one. Could he bring her happiness? Was he capable of it?

**No way,** she thought to herself, **this is nasty, evil, conniving Malfoy.**

But he was human--she knew that for sure. After all, he'd _kissed_ her. Or had she kissed him? She shook her head. She couldn't remember who had initiated it; all she knew was with that one movement, he'd proven to her he was human. But the power and money didn't mean anything to her. She could only imagine what it would be like to walk down the corridors of Hogwarts hand-in-hand with him. What kind of girl wouldn't be happy with him? And he was offering it all to _her_. Why her? She was the Mudblood; the one person he would go out of his way to annoy and humiliate. Why the sudden change?

It made sense, though. She'd always secretly adored him; maybe he'd felt the same way? But why would he call her names?

**To cover his own ass, that's why,** she rationalized his behavior in her mind, **he didn't have much power when he was younger. Now he's a seventh year and Head Boy--no one will mess around with him now.**

That's why. He must have been interested previously, but just wasn't in the position to do anything about it.

Then again, she could just be kidding herself. He may just be messing around with her. After all, he was a man; a very _experienced_ man. He knew women's emotions could be easily played with and manipulated. Maybe he was using that to his advantage.

The only question was: was her revenge she'd planned really revenge, or was it giving in to her own desires?

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hello, lass," the familiar Irish voice came from behind Hermione.

It had been a week since Hermione had lay in the Hospital Wing pondering over Malfoy's gift. It was a chilly Friday evening; the sun was just going down over the horizon and Hermione was heading toward her common room-her appetite wasn't present that evening. Besides, she had a History of Magic essay due Monday, and she wanted it done so she could go to the Slytherin/Ravenclaw game the next morning. But Xander had caught her halfway through the Entrance Hall.

"Hey, Xander!" She greeted him with a smile and a hug.

He grinned at her as they pulled apart.

"How are you doing this evening?" He questioned as they stood by a statue of Wendelin the Weird to the left of the Great Hall.

She shrugged, "I can't complain. How about you?"

He smiled, "Very well. Aren't you going to dinner?"

She shook her head, "I'm not very hungry and I have an essay due Monday. I want it done so I can go to the Quidditch match tomorrow."

"Oh, that's understandable. The Ravenclaws are having a party in the common room this evening; I suppose they're trying to pump up the team and the crowd."

Hermione nodded, "We did that too--then again, we have parties for Quidditch matches that aren't even ours."

"Yes, I heard Gryffindors definitely know how to throw a party," he told her with a grin.  
She shrugged with a smile, "I suppose."

"Well, I better let you go finish that essay so you can be there tomorrow," he told her with a grin, "Have a good night."

"You too," she told him as they hugged goodbye, suddenly aware that someone was watching

her from the shadows. She walked to her common room, ever mindful of what she'd seen. What she didn't know was that his icy eyes burned with anger and jealousy; something was happening with them, and he wanted to know what it was.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione reached her room and shut the door quietly. There was a faint blue light coming from under Malfoy's door, but she didn't think he was there. Not that it mattered; she had been focusing, for the past week, on not paying any attention to him. Sometimes she would look up and meet his gaze, but she would always look away a millisecond later. But for the most part, she'd been successful in her attempt. After all, she didn't need to be thinking about him; he was her sworn enemy, and nothing could change that.

She changed into a black spaghetti-strap top, and loose, very short black pajama shorts. She then entered the bathroom, washed off her make-up, rinsed her face with Muggle cleanser, and applied a special wizard lotion that exfoliated, moisturized, and rid the face of any acne all in one second. She was pleased to see her face clean, smooth, and blemish-free. She brushed her teeth with a special wizard whitening toothpaste that made her teeth whiter and cleaner than they had been all day.

She slipped out of the bathroom, noticing Malfoy was still not present in the room. She entered her room again and saw that a fire had been lit, the orange flames merrily lighting up the room. She applied clear, vanilla flavored chapstick to her lips and brushed her hair out, running her hand through it. After completing all of her nightly grooming activities, she settled down at her desk and began on the sixteen-inch essay she had due on the impact that Muggles' wars have in the wizarding world.

It had been seven-thirty when she had sat down and began her essay, and she was finished by ten o'clock. She shut her book, rolled up the parchment, and stood, stretching. It was still early--she _could_ start on the project due next week for McGonagall, or she could read until she got sleepy.

She looked around for her bag and realized she'd left it out in the common room on the couch.

**Damnit,** she thought, **watch my luck, Malfoy is out there.**

She picked up her book and her parchment, and moved toward the door. She wasn't going to let Malfoy's presence dictate where she went or what she did. It was just as much her common room as his.

She opened her door and saw Malfoy coming out of the bathroom, dressed in nothing but a black wifebeater and black lounge pants. She had to admit, the black offset his pearly white skin nicely.

**No,** she reprimanded herself, **No! Stop thinking that way.**

She moved to the couch and proceeded in putting away her book and parchment, fully aware that Malfoy was watching her.

He watched as she gracefully shouldered her bag and entered her room, shutting the door. She was avoiding him, but at that moment he wasn't sure he cared. However, he was glad he could move things so quickly and quietly. He entered his room and stood by the window, waiting. Little did either of them know, Fate and the prophecy were going to have a little fun with them tonight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione shut her door and turned around. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Malfoy had been the one in the shadows, watching her. That was enough to piss her off. Why did he suddenly care about what happened to her? One minute he was worried about her, the next he was calling her foul names and glaring at her? His unpredictable behavior was wearing thin on her nerves, and she was going to straighten it all out once and for all.

She opened her door and walked barefoot over to his. It was strangely cold on this side of the room, and in her top and shorts, she was chilly.

She stopped outside his door, noticing that same blue light filtering from under it. However, she didn't take much notice. She, deciding to be as polite as possible, knocked on the door.

She heard him call from inside, and opened the door. She walked into the room, noticing all the windows were open, the blue moonlight filtering in. The fire also burned with a bluish color. It was a dark, chilly room, but it was mysterious and enticing. Much like the man standing by the far window.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" She asked, her voice low and quiet.

He turned around, his hands in his pockets, "What are you talking about?"

She crossed her arms, "You've told me you don't trust Xander. Fine, I couldn't care less. But since when do you have the position to tell me _anything_? Futhermore, why the hell are you spying on me? What do you care?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Good question. Why do I care about the well-being of a Mudblood."

She winced slightly, remembering only too fondly that he'd been using her first name only days earlier.

"Make up your damn mind, Malfoy," she said, looking at the floor, "I'm either 'Hermione,' 'Granger,' or 'Mudblood.'

Pick one and stick with it."

He moved closer to her and glared down at her.

"Again, giving me orders, _Hermione_?" He questioned, and it shocked the hell out of her. He'd used her first name rather than any other degrading name? Since when? What in the world was going on between them?

She looked up at him with a questioning look, "Make up your mind," she told him.

He raised an eyebrow and moved closer still, "I already did. What else do you want me to decide on?"

She knew he was standing too close for this to be a normal conversation, "Hate me or don't hate me."

"Direct, aren't we?"

She narrowed her eyes, "You beat around the bush so much I get annoyed when I do the same."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "_I_ beat around the bush? What about you?"

She shook her head and turned to leave his room when he gently grabbed her arms and turned her back around.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, looking up at him.

He looked down at her, "Not letting you walk out on me," he told her.

"Why would you care if I walked out on you? I'm just a 'filthy Mudblood', aren't I?"

His steel gray eyes burned into her with a fiery intensity, "Don't ever let me hear you say that again."

"Why not? _You_ use that lovely term all the time."

He impulsively reached up and smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear, "But that doesn't give you right to say it."

"Whatever," she told him, trying to free herself from his grip. He held her firmly, but gently, his fingertips brushing across her arms. She closed her eyes for a moment, inwardly giddy at his touch. But she quickly remembered their confrontation and fight that occurred only last year, and her face turned cold.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Hermione," he whispered, his mouth dangerously close to her ear. She could feel his breath on her neck, "Revenge is not on my mind at the moment."

"But it could be two minutes from now," she hissed as his lips met with the skin of her neck. She gasped as he bit her neck gently.

**Damnit,** she thought to herself, **that's going to leave a mark!**

Little did she know that that was his intent. If he left a mark on her, it would show everyone she was his.

"Right now," he told her, looking back down at her, "All I'm thinking about is you," he told her.

In a split second, their lips met in one explosive movement. His lips gently caressed hers, his arms wrapping low around her waist, her arms going around his neck and playing with the hair a the nape of his neck.

She pulled back, panting, "This is wrong."

"Then why are you still standing here?" He asked her.

When she didn't answer, he pressed his lips to hers again, this time his tongue running along the seam of her lips. She obliged, her lips parting and allowing his entrance into her mouth.

Her vanilla lip-gloss was sweet on his lips and the same vanilla scent of her skin and hair flirted tantalizingly with his senses. She was sweet, and warm, and heavenly. It was almost too much for him to take in. They continued to kiss, their mouths meshing together, their tongues dancing in an ecstatic celebration. His arms pulled her closer against his body, holding her in a tight but gentle embrace.

Hermione's senses were in overload. He was being so gentle and so sensual with her; very uncharacteristic of the dark, powerful, evil Malfoy, but it was a delightful change. His lips left hers, his head curving around to kiss her neck at the junction of her collarbone and her neck. She let out a soft moan, and that nearly threw him over the edge.

He moved backwards, leading her with him with his arms. He lowered her onto the bed, his lips reclaiming hers in one smooth movement. Her arms were still around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. She slid her hands down his arms, reaching the bottom of his black wifebeater. She pulled at it, telling him the offending article of clothing had to go.

He broke away from her, and in one smooth movement, the shirt was off and thrown across the room. He rested most of his weight on his arms, which were positioned on either side of her body. Her arms came back around his neck, and they lay, looking into each other's eyes for a long time, daring the other to speak or move or blink first. She saw the desire in his eyes, and she felt incredibly beautiful while under his gaze. She had to say something or do something; the silence was becoming too much.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her as he lowered his lips onto hers. She ran her hands up his broad and muscular chest, her fingers feeling the soft skin of his torso. When he pulled back, allowing each of them oxygen, she looked up at him.

"God, I hate you," she told him in a breathless voice, glaring up at him.

"The feeling is reciprocated," he assured her with a smirk.

In one smooth movement, she'd pushed him over onto his back and was now on top of him, her small frame straddling his much larger one. She ran her hands down his chest, feeling the ripple of his well-defined muscles. She pushed her hair behind her ears as she lowered her lips onto his, kissing him passionately while her hands ran down his arms that grasped her waist. She slid her lips down his chin, onto his very well developed chest, the muscles hard but the skin smooth beneath her lips. She paused at the long, silvery black scar across his chest.

She ran a finger over it as his sharp silver eyes watched her every movement carefully.

"I…" she started, looking at the mark she'd left on him and still running her finger softly over it, "Dray-"

"Don't," he said, his voice barely above a husky whisper as he watched her touch the scar, "Don't."

She nodded as he pushed a loose lock of silky brown and gold hair behind her ears. She couldn't believe she was laying her on her enemy's bed, their hands and mouths slowly learning each other when in reality they shouldn't even be familiar with one another. He'd already learned her weakness was kisses on the neck, and she was learning his weakness was butterfly-soft touches down his back. She delicately traced the curves of his bones and muscle before lowering her head and placing tentative kisses on his chest, part of her wishing she could kiss the hideous black line off of his alabaster chest.

They lay for a long time, just kissing and touching with their clothes on, tentatively learning their way around each other. Besides, if Fate and the prophecy had their way, the information Hermione and Draco learned that night would come in handy… eventually.


	18. Chapter XVII

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Aww wasn't last chapter just enough to give ya butterflies?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Albus, does this mean something?" Professor McGonagall asked as they watched the two in the Pensieve, "Is it just hormones?"

Professor Dumbledore shook his head, "No, Minerva, I don't believe it's just hormones. The prophecy has hinted that the two chosen ones were the worst of enemies," he chuckled, "Why else would Taryn and Luke quote Shakespeare in a play that is ironically like what is happening?"

"_Romeo and Juliet_ is not exactly alike in what is happening between Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, Albus," she contradicted, "Besides, this was a fling; a mere lapse in judgement--how are we sure this means anything?"

Professor Dumbledore cleared the image away as the two students parted and spoke to one another. He wasn't pleased on having to spy on them, and he'd seen enough to begin to form a conjecture as to what would happen.

"Minerva, the prophecy is moving fast. It said fourteen weeks. By the end of December, the prophecy will either be filled, or the two of them will die."

She shook her head, "It's too much. They're teenagers! Their only nineteen and eighteen!" **(A/N:** I made him 19 and her 18 cuz I want them older. I know 7th years are generally 17, but this is my fic so DEAL! It matters that they're older, okay? Just trust me**)**

"Ironically, they're more mature than any of the other couples the prophecy has chosen over the years. They can handle it."

"Albus, see reason," she said, "If they fight it and the prophecy is not fulfilled, we're going to lose two of our very best students."

Professor Dumbledore sighed as he moved to the tea set on a table in front of the window. He poured a cup for himself and Professor McGonagall, handing it to her, "I know, Minerva."

"We can't let that happen! They are the only two who have the power to prevent another He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

"Minerva, his name is Voldemort."

She winced slightly, and he sighed again, taking his seat behind his desk, "He's dead, Minerva. It would be rather fitting to use his name now, don't you think?"

She shook her head, and he just shrugged.

"Albus, please-"

"There's nothing I can do, Minerva. The prophecy has been around for hundreds of years. Even before I was alive. I cannot change it; no one can."  
"But-"

"Have some tea. It will calm your nerves," he insisted.

Professor McGonagall finally gave in, sitting down in the chair across the desk from the Headmaster. She took a sip from her cup and adjusted her glasses.

Professor Dumbledore sat forward with a small tin in his hand, "Try putting one of these in; I find the flavor quite pleasing."

Professor McGonagall took a lemon drop from the tin and put it into her cup, mixing it around in the tea.

The two adults sat for a long time, contemplating over what was happening at Hogwarts. Two students' lives were at stake, and both could only hope that the two found common ground and fulfilled the prophecy, rather than falling to it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione awoke at about three-thirty in the morning, a slight chill running over her skin. She didn't remember her room being so cold--perhaps the fire had gone out.

Suddenly she realized there was a very sinewy, pale arm draped across her waist. His skin was cool against hers, and pearly compared to the tanned skin of her stomach.

**Oh, shit!** She thought to herself, **I'm in Malfoy's room--I'm in Malfoy's _bed_!**

She looked around. Yep. The black, silver, and emerald green draperies and the blue lighting of the whole room definitely made that clear. The moon was low in the sky, shining through the window just above his bed. It illuminated his face, and in her opinion it looked oddly angelic. She was tempted to reach up and touch his cheek, but feared he would awaken.

**What a predicament you've gotten yourself into, **she told herself, **Stay? Or sneak out and get to your room?**

She decided to sneak out. She didn't want any kind of weird confrontation when he awoke.

Too bad for her Draco Malfoy was a light sleeper.

She slid toward the edge of the bed, his arm slowly sliding off of her waist. She turned onto her side and continued to move toward the edge of the bed, moving ever so slowly as to not awaken him. She silently cursed herself for wearing such a short shirt. His hands were now on the skin of her waistline, just under her shirt.

Just as she was about to remove his hand, she felt his arm tighten, pulling her back flush with his chest.

"Leaving so soon," he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her.

She turned around to face him and glared up at him, "Let me go."

He shook his head, and she rolled her eyes, "Why not?"

"You're keeping me warm," he told her with a smirk.

She scoffed and pushed his arms, trying to make him release her from his embrace.

He pressed a kiss to her neck and whispered, "Do you really want to leave?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Why?" He questioned, a hand going to her waist and his lips meeting her neck again.

"Because…" she said, trying to forget the tingles coming from his touch, "Because… I hate you… and," she gasped as he bit her gently, "And… you have a Quidditch match… tomorrow…"

"So?" He questioned, looking up at her, his steel gray eyes burning into hers, "I can still play tomorrow."

She laughed quietly, her hand going to the back of his neck, "Not if you stay up all night snogging with me."

He smirked at her, "You aren't getting much sleep either."

"Which is why I'm leaving," she said, pushing him off and getting up, running a hand through her hair and straightening her twisted up clothing.

Draco sat up on his right arm and watched her straighten her clothes, "Just like that?"

She smirked at him as she leaned down on the bed and pressed her lips to his. He put a hand on the back of her head, and pulled her down with him, causing her to put a knee on the bed to lean down farther and continue kissing him. His tongue entered her mouth gently, and she smiled as she broke the kiss, smirking at him and pressing a shorter kiss to his lips.

"Good luck tomorrow," she told him as she turned and left the room.

Draco shook his head with a smile.

"Mya, come on!" He called after her, shortening her name in an attempt to get her to stop. When his door shut, he lay back on his bed and let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. What were they now?

Hermione shut her door and leaned against it, letting out a very long breath. What would happen between them _now?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

_A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life…_

Draco awoke that morning alone in his bed. It was cold and lonely compared to how it had been at three-thirty that morning. She'd been there… there in his bed with him…

_Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,  
Having some business, do entreat her eyes…_

Hermione stared out the window that morning, looking out at the lake. She was falling for him, but something kept her from giving in to his temptation. After all, they were enemies…

_'Tis but thy name that is my enemy…_

She was a Mudblood; how the hell could he fall for her? His father was the biggest obstacle in his mind at that moment. Besides the fact that he was a Slytherin and she was a Gryffindor…

_Deny thy father and refuse thy name;  
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love…_

It was his namesake; he was a Malfoy. A pureblooded prince heired to a fortune of wealth and power. She didn't fit into his world, and he didn't fit into hers. In her mind, it would never work…

_What's in a name? That which we call a rose   
By any other name would smell as sweet…_

He lay in bed for another half an hour thinking only of her. She would be at the Quidditch match that morning. She'd be watching him, and the thought hadn't bothered him before. Now it did and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

_How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,  
Like softest music to attending ears!…_

She dressed with careful consideration that morning. Never before had she dressed to impress, but now there was someone who would see her. He would see her, and she wanted to look good and feel confident around him.

_As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven   
Would through the airy region stream so bright…_

He climbed out of bed at about ten o'clock that morning and tried to focus on the Quidditch game he would be taking part in that morning. If he was going to win today, he had to get her out of his mind. Besides, it had only been a simple snogging session--nothing more, nothing less.

_Ay me! My only love, sprung from my only hate!…_

Her hate for him had seemed to dwindle overnight; which was strange and somewhat cliché, but it was true. As she tossed and turned that night, she'd slowly realized he was everything she wanted and everything she wasn't. He completed her, and complimented her at the same time. It was amazing how well they clicked together.

_But to his foe supposed he must complain,  
And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks…_

As he pulled on his Quidditch robes, the black fabric outlined in silver and emerald green, he thought about how intense she had been only hours earlier. It was amazing how beautiful she was, laying on his bed; the moonlight illuminating her face and eyes, her golden brown hair splayed around her face. She'd been one of the most gentle, sensual kissers he'd ever had the pleasure of lip-locking with. It was surprising, considering she was his enemy.

_Being held a foe, he may not have access  
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;  
And she as much in love, her means much less  
To meet her new-beloved any where…_

He was so much more gentle and loving than she could have ever imagined. He'd looked simply angelic when he'd been laying over her, his silvery blonde hair and pearly skin illuminated by the moonlight; his grayish-silver eyes staring deep into hers, reading her very soul. He knew how to make her feel incredibly uncomfortable, but extremely desirable as well. It was conflicting, being under his gaze, but she didn't mind it.

_But passion lends them power, time means, to meet  
Tempering extremities with extreme sweet…_

Hermione changed into tight, low-slung, hip-hugging, boot-cut black jeans, a crimson halter top, her black boots, and her black cloak with the Gryffindor emblem over her heart. She straightened her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, wrapping a section of hair around the elastic. She applied some subtle make-up and her vanilla perfume and left her room, anxious to see the Quidditch match, and anxious to see him.

He ran his hands over his silvery blonde hair, slicking it back away from his face. It stayed like it always did; he straightened his collar and looked at his reflection. He was focusing on the game, but she was still on his mind. Her eyes, her skin, her lips… the vanilla scent that came off of her, the vanilla taste of her…

**Stop it, Malfoy,** he told himself, **You're playing Ravenclaw in an hour; you need to focus on beating them.**

Then suddenly, he remembered his father would be at the match. What if she did something? Something to make his father realize there was something going on between them?

**No,** he told himself, **no, she's smarter than that. She knows what's going on.**

With that reassuring thought in his mind (along with many others) he left his room and went off to the Great Hall, preparing to defeat Ravenclaw at the Quidditch match.


	19. Chapter XVIII

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Aww wasn't last chapter just enough to give ya butterflies?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_WELCOME EVERYONE, TO THE THIRD QUIDDITCH MATCH OF THE SEASON!"_ Dean Thomas welcomed the crowd through tbe megaphone. The stands cheered, the Ravenclaws holding blue and black flags and banners with the eagle on it; the Slytherins held black, silver, and emerald green flags with the signature serpent on them. Pansy Parkinson, still in love with Malfoy, held her sign, "Malfoy is my Slytherin Hero!" It was sickening, but the Gryffindors found much humor in it.

Hermione stood in the Gryffindor stands with her friends; she was seated in between Parvati and Ginny, and her eyes were taking in every little detail of everyone in the stands. She spotted Malfoy's father, but quickly looked away.

        **Knock it off, Hermione,** she scolded herself, **it was just a simple snogging session!**

        "_NOW, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE SLYTHERIN TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND SEEKER, DRACO MALFOY!"_

Hermione clapped politely with the rest of the Gryffindors while the Slytherin stands exploded with excited clapping and cheers and whistling. There were several banners and flags and signs screaming excited encouragements to the Slytherin team. Malfoy flew in a circle around the field and landed ten feet from the center of the field. The Slytherins continued to cheer, and Hermione tried to avoid looking at his small figure down on the field. She had a feeling he was casting glances at her, but she didn't look at them.

        "Ooh, he looks _so hot_," Parvati said, "I wish he wasn't Malfoy; I'd gladly snog with that."

        "Excuse me?" Seamus asked, putting his hands on his hips and looking at her.

Hermione laughed at the expression on Seamus' face. The incessant flirting between the two was becoming rather annoying. She wished they would just kiss and get it over with already.

        "Awww, how sweet," Ron cooed, the sweetness in his voice sounding strange considering the deep tone of his voice, "Why don't you two kiss and make up?"

        "Is that a dare, Weasley?" Seamus asked with a sly grin.

Ron thought for a moment, "Yeah. Yeah, I think it is, _Finnigan_."

In a split second, Seamus had put his hand on Parvati's neck, turned her head, and pressed his lips to hers.

        "OOOOH!!!" Ginny and Lavender squealed. Hermione started laughing and Harry and Ron wolf-whistled. Some of the nearby Gryffindors made encouraging sounds as well.

When they finally pulled apart, the friends starting clapping, "Well done, mate!" Ron said, smirking at Seamus, who just shrugged. Parvati was blushing a deep scarlet and refused to look at Seamus. Ginny and Lavender poked her and she squealed, scooting over toward Seamus. This, of course, had been part of the plan.

Hermione shook her head, smiling at the ridiculousness of the situation. Her eyes fell on Malfoy, who was looking up at her as Dean announced,

        "_NOW, WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE SLYTHERIN TEAM: KEEPER ZABINI, CHASER SUTHERLAND, CHASER NEVERSEN, CHASER STEELE, BEATER BRAIZEN, AND BEATER WINSLOW!"_

The crowds applauded again as the black, silver, and emerald green players shot out onto the field, circling around before landing behind their captain.

        "You know, Zabini isn't bad looking," Ginny commented as the Slytherin team stood on the field, preparing for their game.

Harry raised an eyebrow, and the other friends looked at her with the same kind of expressions.

Ginny looked from her beau to her friends and rolled her eyes, "Hello? I'm a sixteen year old girl; I'm entitled to comment on guys."

        "Not when _your_ guy is sitting next to you," Hermione whispered the hint.

Ginny smirked and looked at Harry, whispering something inaudible to the others. They saw Harry smile and kiss her, and the others made gagging noises.

        "Ewww, come on, I don't want to see that!" Ron said, covering his eyes with his hands.

Hermione leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees, "You've scarred his subconscious for life."

        "I'll be calling you two for reimbursment for all of the therapy I'm going to need," he told them with a cocky smile.

        _"PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE RAVENCLAW TEAM, LED BY THEIR CAPTAIN AND CHASER, MYRA SIVANO!"_

The blue-robed Ravenclaw shot out onto the field, circling around it before landing on the field, ten feet away from the Slytherins. She stood tall, her black hair flying in the wind. She was pretty, there was no doubt about that, but in Draco's opinion, a certain golden-haired, brown-eyed, beautiful Gryffindor surpassed this Ravenclaw when it came to appeal.

        **Stop it, **he scolded himself harshly, **your father is here and you're about to play against Ravenclaw. Get your head out of the damn gutter and pay attention.**

        "_NOW WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE RAVENCLAW TEAM: KEEPER DRAYER, SEEKER KELSO, CHASER VALDUM, CHASER MITCHELL, BEATER MINIANO, AND BEATER GREENE!"_

The specks of blue shot out onto the field as the Ravenclaw stands exploded with cheers and shouts and whistles, their banners and flags flying in the wind that had begun to blow. The Gryffindors clapped loudly for the Ravenclaws, shooting weary looks to the Slytherin stands, who returned the favor.

Madame Hooch signaled to Dean after they established who would go first. Hermione listened carefully as Dean said…

        _"SLYTHERIN STARTS WITH POSSESSION!"_

Hermione sighed. Part of her wanted Slytherin to win, but the other side wanted Ravenclaw to win. If Gryffindor and Slytherin ended up in the race for the Quidditch Cup…

        **No,** she told herself. She didn't want to think about any other confrontations between the two houses. The deal with the prophecy was bad enough.

        "Captains! Shake hands!"

Hermione watched as Malfoy walked toward the center (as did Myra Sivano) and they shook hands. He had that same determined look on his face, and she found that look very attractive. At that moment, three things happened at once: Hermione looked to the Ravenclaw side and saw Xander, Xander caught her gaze and winked at her with a smile, and Draco witnessed the whole thing from where he stood on the field.

A pang of jealousy rushed through Draco like a fire would engulf a dry forest. Why was he feeling jealous? Just because he'd snogged her didn't mean she was his. Did it? No, of course it didn't. But maybe he wanted to her to be his? Was that why? No, it couldn't be. But then why did he feel so protective of her? He only felt protective of things that belonged to him.

        **Focus, Malfoy, Focus,** he told himself, looking away from the two in the stands and turning to his team, giving a few last minute instructions.

        "You all right, D?" Blaise asked him, "You look angry."

Malfoy shook his head, "No, I'm all right. Just remember: Jonathon Drayer tends to leave the right ring open when he's guarding. Fake to the center and throw it in the right," he informed the Chasers, Willem Neversen, Devin, and Damien Sutherland.

The Chasers nodded, and they all prepared to play.

Hermione noticed a strange look that had crossed Malfoy's face when he'd looked up and saw her looking at Xander. The look had been a cross between anger, fear, and jealousy. What was up with that? They'd only spent the evening making out--they weren't _married_. Hell, they weren't even an item. Why was he giving her looks?

She brushed it off, figuring later that night he'd either explode at her about it or taunt her. Either way, she'd find a way to figure out what's wrong.

        "_ANNND… THEY'RE OFF! SLYTHERIN CHASER SUTHERLAND HAS THE QUAFFLE, HEADING TOWARD THE RAVENCLAW GOAL-POSTS-**WATCH OUT, DAMIEN, THAT'S A BLUDGER!**- CHASER SUTHERLAND DOGDGES THE BLUDGER, STILL HEADED TOWARD THE GOAL POSTS; RAVENCLAW KEEPER JONATHON DRAYER PREPARES FOR THE THROW- OH! SLYTHERIN CHASER SUTHERLAND FAKES TO THE CENTER AND SCORES THROUGH THE RIGHT RING! SLYTHERIN LEADS, TEN TO ZERO!"_

Hermione inwardly smiled as she saw Draco nod at Damien Sutherland as Ravenclaw got the Quaffle. Harry, Ron, and Seamus were yelling at the teams whenever they did something incredibly stupid…

_"SLYTHERIN SCORES, TWENTY TO ZERO!"_

…like when Ravenclaw Chaser Stacey Mitchell was hit by a Bludger sent by Slytherin Beater Ivan Braizen, and the Quaffle fell into the hands of Willem Neversen, who scored for Slytherin, making the score twenty to zero.

        "_RAVENCLAW, FOCUS! YOU CAN'T LET THOSE SLIMY, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING SLYTHE-"_

_        "_Dean, could you please keep the language to a minimum?"

        "_-SURE, PROFESSOR. THOSE STUPID SLYTHERINS SCORE, THIRTY TO NOTHING-"_

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the expressions on Dean's face as he commented on the Slytherin team. Hermione watched Malfoy carefully, admiring the way his sharp eyes kept watch for any flash of gold. He was careful to move slowly, not leaving one section of the air un-watched. His head would move sharply to one side and the other if he caught a glimpse of anything.

        _"-SLYTHERIN SCORES, FORTY TO ZERO!-"_

Draco looked around carefully for the Snitch, his eyes watching carefuly for any speck of gold. He needed to win this game; not only to  guarantee his team a spot in the play-offs, but to prove to her that he was better than any Ravenclaw.

He shook his head; if he was going to win this and prove that to her, he had to focus on the game.

        _"-THOSE DARN SLYTHERINS SCORE, FIFTY TO ZERO-"_

Hermione watched Draco carefully; she could tell he was thinking, but she didn't know what about. She was looking around for the Snitch, but from where she was on the stands, she couldn't see it. She looked up occasionally and saw Xander throwing her glances, but she didn't catch his eye and hold it. She didn't want to piss off Malfoy even more than he already was.

        "_RAVENCLAW CHASER LANORA VALDUM HAS THE QUAFFLE… SHE SPEEDS TOWARD THE SLYTHERIN GOAL POSTS; KEEPER BLAISE ZABINI PREPARES TO BLOCK IT-SHE THROWS-**BLOCKED! BY SLYTHERIN KEEPER ZABINI!** STILL A SLYTHERIN LEAD, FIFTY TO ZERO!"_

The Ravenclaws booed and the Slytherins cheered as the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs watched the game carefully; at that point, if Ravenclaw lost to Slytherin, they would have to play Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. If they lost to Gryffindor, they'd only play one game in the play-offs: against Gryffindor. If Ravenclaw beat Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff would have to play Ravenclaw again and Slytherin. Only two teams would advance to the Championship, and the entire school had a hunch of who the two teams were going to be.

        "_-SLYTHERIN CHASER STEELE SCORES, SIXTY TO ZERO!-_"

Draco was getting impatient; he wanted that Snitch, and he was not seeing it anywhere. It didn't look like Ravenclaw Seeker Braiden Kelso was seeing it either. Not that it mattered; Draco was determined to find the Snitch before Kelso did. At that moment, he looked down and there it was; floating through the air lazily. Draco saw Kelso out of the corner of his eye. The Ravenclaw idiot was twenty feet above him, looking in the opposite direction.

        **I can get that thing in six seconds,** he thought to himself as he shot into a dive, his hand reaching out. He was about five feet away from reaching it.

        "_IT LOOKS LIKE SLYTHERIN SEEKER MALFOY HAS SEEN THE SNITCH!_"

The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs all stood up, bending down over the railings of the stands, looking down. Malfoy urged his broom on, his fingers only one foot away from the glittering, fluttering gold ball.

Hermione watched him, looking up only to see Xander, who was leaning over the edge watching as well, and Lucius Malfoy, who was standing and watching as his son's hand grasped the golden ball, holding it captive.

        "_MALFOY'S GOT THE SNITCH! SLYTHERIN WINS, TWO HUNDRED AND TEN TO ZERO!"_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The man cursed.

        "Damnit," he said to himself, "He's proven himself to her. How the hell can I push them apart now?"

He paced, running a hand through his hair, "I will _not_ give up now. That bastard needs to pay, and he needs to pay dearly."

He continued to pace, when he slowed down.

        "That's what I need…" he whispered, "I need someone… someone on the inside…"

He paused, his cloak falling around him, "Someone from Slytherin who wants revenge on him or her just as much as I do… but who?"

He stood still, thinking for a moment, before it clicked.

        "Of course!" He cackled, "Of course! She would do it! I've heard lots of stories about her. I'm sure if I throw in a little something for her, she'd be more than happy to do it!"  
He sighed in content. He had a plan, and soon Draco Malfoy would be feeling more pain than he'd ever felt in his entire life.


	20. Chapter XIX

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! All of you guys seem to adore my story! I'm thrilled! lol At this point, I'm guessing this story is going to have between 35-40 chapters—I know, it's a lot, but we still have a lot of stuff to go through before Draco and Hermione settle things! I have a question for all of you who read this story:

**Would you guys read more D/Hr stories of mine, regardless of setting or story line (Would you give other stories of mine a chance?) I'm thinking of another one w/ our favorite couple during Hogwarts, and then maybe I'll try one post-Hogwarts. What do you guys think? I really want your opinions! Review and let me know what you think or email me: xnegrl80xhotmail.com I love you all!**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You're going to have to work bloody hard, mate," Seamus said to Harry that afternoon as they ate lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione nodded her agreement, and Harry nodded as well.

"I know. Our weakest points are the Chasers--they're not working together, and I don't know what to do to make them."

"I'll help," Hermione offered, "I went to a summer camp for my Muggle softball team, and we had a bunch of different exercises to teach teamwork."

"Would you really?" Harry questioned as he poured himself some pumpkin juice and looked at her (she was seated to his left).

Hermione nodded, "It's not a problem, unless you'd rather take over?"

"Are you joking? I've tried everything I can think of and nothing's making it any better."

Hermione laughed, "Well all the Chasers are girls, aren't they?"

"She's got a point," Ron said from around a mouthful of bread and butter.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Harry, "Offer's up, if you want to take it."

"Absolutely," Harry said, putting an arm on her shoulders and hugging her, "Thanks, Hermione."

"Anything for a friend," she told him, "And so we can win the Quidditch Cup."

The friends laughed as Harry told her the next practice was Monday night.

"I'll be there," she told him.

"All right. I'll be working with Ron, Nikoli, and Dominic while you work with Natalie, Riva, and Jade, okay?"

Hermione nodded, "Not a problem."

"We may actually kick some butt his year!" Ginny said with a grin.

Ron raised an eyebrow and threw a look at his sister, "Gin, we won the Quidditch Cup last year-our team has always been good."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean. Kick butt as in send the Slytherins back to their dungeon with their tails between their legs."

Hermione, Ron, Harry, Lavender, Parvati, and Seamus nearly spit out whatever food or beverage was in their mouths.

"That was probably the _most_ inopportune moment to say something like that, Ginny," Hermione told her as she grabbed a napkin and covered her mouth.

Everyone else nodded, and Ginny just smirked.

"At least you pigs managed to keep your food in your mouth," she told them with a sly grin.

From across the Great Hall, Malfoy watched her. She was covering her mouth with a napkin as she and her friends began to laugh hysterically. He felt anger burn in his chest. Why couldn't he make her laugh like that? He searched her neck and realized the mark he'd left was just visible at the edge of her crimson halter. It didn't look like anyone had noticed. He smirked; she hadn't even tried to cover the edges of it with makeup. Why hadn't she? Most girls whom had received a hickey from him had tried to cover it with makeup; but she hadn't.

**Intriguing**, he thought to himself. He'd be sure to mention it tonight… that is, if they happened to have a rendezvous.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione stood in the Owlery waiting for her parents to respond to the letter she'd written them. Until Hedwig returned, she stood there, thinking about all the changes that had occurred in the last twenty-four hours. She'd managed to fight with Malfoy, confront him, and end up in his bed making out with him. The memory of the night before brought butterflies to her stomach, but it also made her sick. She'd actually ended up in the bed of her enemy.

She was definitely going soft.

Maybe she needed to hit below the belt. Maybe… tease him enough to drive him up the wall, or something. She had to do something to make him feel all the conflicted feelings she had. It was only fair to return the favor, after all.

But _damn, _how could he be so sexy? The way he looked at her, the way he touched her… how he knew just where to kiss her to make her do whatever he wanted… she needed to find a weakness in him. Or perhaps a weakness she provoked by something she did or wore or… she'd have to experiment, that was for sure.

But experimenting meant snogging with him. Again. Many times.

**I'm in _big_ trouble,** she thought to herself. There was only one way to figure out his weakness, and that way required making out with him more than one more time.

"No way," she said to herself, "No way am I doing that."

But part of her wanted to. What kind of girl wouldn't? If she walked up to any girl and offered her a whole night to do whatever that girl wanted with Draco Malfoy, Hermione was sure nine out of ten girls would take her up on that offer. Nearly every girl, whether they professed it or not, wanted to snog with Draco Malfoy. And here she was; the one person least likely to turn out being his snog buddy, and she'd spent the previous night doing just that.

**Why can't I hate him again the way that I used to?** She asked herself as she looked out the window, seeing an owl coming closer and closer. She hoped it was Hedwig. In the fading light of the setting sun, she couldn't tell.

**Hating him with a fiery intensity was so much more easy than secretly adoring him.**

Maybe if she played hard to get long enough, he'd get frustrated and give up, leaving her alone. If he left her alone, she could easily get over him.

She broke that train of thought as Hedwig landed on the windowsill with a large manilla envelope. There was a piece of parchment attached to the envelope.

Hermione untied the envelope from Hedwig's leg, pulled out an owl treat and gave it to the bird. Hedwig took it, nipped her hand affectionately, and flew off to her perch, where she enjoyed the snack.

Hermione smiled at Hedwig and left the Owlery, envelope in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione sat at her desk that evening at about six-thirty, having just returned from dinner. She flipped open the piece of parchment on the envelope and read the message.

_Hermione-_

_Found what you asked for. There was more, but it wasn't information you could use there. If you still want it, send a note. Take care of yourself!_

_Love, Mom and Dad_

Hermione smiled as she opened the envelope and pulled out the Muggle packets she'd received while at camp. They had different activities that focused on team work and strategy.

"Perfect," she said to herself as she flipped through them. She decided now was as good a time as ever to give them to Harry. She wanted him to see what she was thinking, and she wanted him to see before the next practice.

**It's only six-thirty**, she told herself, **I could get to the Gryffindor common room and stay a while and still get back before curfew.**

She decided that's just what she would do. She changed into a short jean skirt, a pair of sneakers, and a black hooded shirt with ¾ sleeves. She left her hair down and curly, and made sure her makeup was all right. The thought that Malfoy might be out and about was in the back of her mind as she picked up the envelope and made sure her wand was in her skirt pocket.

When she was sure she was ready to leave, she walked out of her bedroom, careful to shut the door behind her, and left the common room.

She walked down the hall and up to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady smiled.

"Well, Miss Granger, it's been a long time since I saw you last."

Hermione nodded, "I know, I should come visit more often."

"Yes, you must, anyway, password?"

"Treacle tarts," Hermione said, and the Fat Lady's portrait swung open.

Hermione stepped through and found the common room bright and warm and full of lively chatter. She stopped to speak with a few of her other friends before finding Harry, Ron, and Seamus in the corner playing Wizard's Chess.

"Hey, Mione," Harry greeted her, giving her a hug as he looked up from the board.

"Hey," she greeted him as Seamus stood to hug her as well.

"What, Ron, too focused for a hug?" She asked, bending down to speak near his ear.

Ron nodded, a determined, thoughtful look on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes and put her arms around his neck, "Well, I'm not."

Ron smiled at her as he hugged her arms before focusing back on his move.

Hermione sat on the couch between Harry and Seamus, and watching Ron as he said, "Bishop to E6."

"What's that, 'Mione?" Harry questioned as Ron's pawn moved forward.

"I'll show it to you after the game," she assured him.

Harry nodded before immediately replying, "Knight to E6."

Ron cursed under his breath as Harry's knight bashed the Bishop across the board.

"Bad move, mate," Seamus commented from behind a book entitled _Fabulous Quidditch Moves and How To Use Them._

"Interested in helping Gryffindor?" Hermione questioned, pointing to the book in Seamus' hands.

He shrugged, "Can't hurt. Besides, if I read about a play that could help us beat Slytherin, you bet your Irish whiskey I'm lettin' Harry know about it."

Hermione laughed as the other two boys wrapped up their game. Ron ended up winning, but neither were bitter.

"He's beat me thirty seven times!" Harry informed her.

She smiled, "But how many games have you played total over the last six years?"

"God only knows that, lass," Seamus said from behind his book. His voice was muffled, and it caused Hermione to laugh.

"So, 'Mione, what is in the envelope?" Ron asked, finally interested in something other than the game.

She lifted the tab and pulled out the packets, "I wrote my Mum and she sent these to me. They're old worksheets and fact sheets about those activities we used to do at camp. I figured Harry would want to have a look."

Harry nodded as he took a packet, Ron took one, and Seamus sat forward, reading over Hermione's shoulder as she looked at one.

There was silence between them for about three minutes while the four skimmed through them.

"These look like they'll work nicely," Harry commented with a smile, "If you can pull these off with Natalie, Jade, and Riva, I'd be thrilled!"

Hermione nodded, "Once I spruce up their teamwork skills a little, you'll be able to run some plays with them and see if it's done any good."

"Well, if you improve their teamwork three levels above where they are now, I'll let _you_ run the plays."

"Oh no way," Hermione said, "Harry, you _know_ I'm afraid of heights."

Ron looked at her, "'Mione, you don't have to be in the air to help run plays."

"Ron's right. If you're down on the sidelines running the plays, I can be in the air and we can get used to all seven of us being up there like it will be when we play Slytherin."

"You blokes don't seem too worried about playing Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw again," Seamus commented from back behind his book.

"Why should we? Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are pushovers. Their Seekers are amateur, to say the least," Ron said.

"Come on, Braiden Kelso and Justin Finch-Fletchley try their best."

"But their best isn't good enough," Ron told her.

She shrugged, "Can't argue there."

Ron smiled, "Caught ya."

"But still, I don't know half of the plays that you guys use anyway."

"That's why, when the time comes, I'll explain them to you," Harry said, "Listen, 'Mione, if I can remember all of the things Wood has told me over the years while I ran down the hall late for class, you can remember them if I explain them carefully."  
"He's got a point," Seamus commented, his voice still muffled by the book.

Hermione hit his leg with one of the papers, "We don't need commentary from the peanut gallery!"

Harry and Ron laughed as Seamus narrowed his eyes playfully at her, "Yes _ma'am_."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening with her best friends.

And she did just that. It wasn't until nine-thirty that Hermione bid her goodbyes to her friends and the Fat Lady and made her way down the dark and deserted corridor. She arrived at the painting of Elvira the Elusive, and prepared to say the password.

"There are rumors going around," the painting informed her, "About you and Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "What kind of rumors?"

"That you two had a little rendezvous last night in his room," Elvira said, "Young woman, if I were you, I'd snatch him up while I could."

Hermione nodded, "I'll… remember that, I suppose. _Infinigus_."

"But did you?" Elvira asked as her portrait moved.

Hermione shook her head, "Goodnight!"

She entered the common room, and looked up, "Hello," she said.


	21. Chapter XX

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** I'm having so much fun with this story! Thank you to EVERYONE who has put me on their "Author Alert" list and "Favorite Stories" list! I love you guys so much and thank you for all of the support!  
Someone asked me if I came up with all of the poetry; the answer is yes, with the exception of the poem in Chapter 9—I got that from a website. Other than that, I rhymed all the other things, including the introductory poem. I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What the hell is going on with you and that Xander?" He asked her the minute she walked into the common room.  
She raised her eyebrows, "Ex_cuse_ me?"

        "You heard what I said," he hissed from where he stood just in front of his door.

        "Since when the hell does it matter to you who I talk to."

        "It doesn't. I want to know what's going on with those looks you keep sending to him. You think I don't see you, Granger, but I see you."

        "What the hell are you playing at? You're getting all jealous and angry as if I was-"

        "--As if you were mine?"

Her eyes widened. How had he known that's what she was going to say? She tried to look as confident and un-ruffled as possible.

        "Exactly," she replied, "I'm not," she moved toward the bathroom.

        "One minute you're in my bed the next you're sending 'looks' at another man?"

        "Let's get one thing straight," she said, stopping in front of the bathroom door and turning to look at him, "We did _not_ have sex last night; stop making it sound like we did. For another, I was only looking at him to smile. It didn't mean anything except a friendly hello."

        "I realize we didn't have sex. But you were just as willing as I was-"

        "I plead temporary insanity," she said as she turned to enter the bathroom.

Draco Malfoy took two steps and was in front of the bathroom door, blocking her way.

        "Get out of my way, Malfoy," she spat, hate filling her eyes.

        "No," he told her.

She tried to push him out of the way, but he caught both of her wrists in one of his hands, holding her hands above her head.

        "You can talk and yell and curse all day long," he said, "But you know just as well as I do that this isn't just temporary insanity--this isn't just a fling."

        "What is this '_this_' you keep referring to?" She hissed.

He smirked and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek, "This," he said as he pressed his lips to hers in one smooth, debonair movement.

Hermione had the right mind to bite the hell out of his lip and run, but before the logical side of her mind could do that, the other side began to speak up.

In one second flat, she pulled her hands out of his grip. He was ready to pull back and trap her again, but before he reacted she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, her tongue teasing the seam of his lips.

He wrapped his arms completely around her waist and invaded her mouth with his tongue, revering in the vanilla taste of her mouth, her lips; the warm scent radiating off of her skin and her hair. When they broke apart for oxygen, she glared at him.

        "God, I hate you," she managed, not being able to speak above a whisper because of her lack of oxygen.

        "If you hate me, why are you still here?" He whispered to her, his lips meeting with the skin of her neck, leaving tender kisses on it.

        "Oh, by the way, I saw your handiwork," she said, pulling her shirt down enough to show him where the blood vessels in her skin had broken, resulting in a hickey, "Very nice, but not very cool."

He smirked at her, "I had to mark you somehow. You didn't complain much."

        "Not until I woke up and realized I had to go to _school_ with that thing on there," she said.

He raised an eyebrow, "What? Ashamed to show people you're messing around with a Slytherin?"

        "You mean the Dark Prince of Slytherin? Considering I'm a Gryffindor, yeah, I am a little."

His eyes sparked for a minute, "You're a Gryffindor, but not much like one."

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow, "And what makes you a professional judge on what makes a Gryffindor, and what doesn't?"

He let his lips run up her neck to her lips, "Because I've been with many," he whispered against them.

        "Many?" She questioned with a bemused look, "Any I might know?"

        "Probably, but I'm not going to name them," he said, pressing a kiss to her lips.

She shook her head, "I swear, you are one of the horniest-"

        "No," he said, looking at her, "I'm not, generally. But I just can't--"

        "-Seem to get enough? Good, I thought I was the only one."

        "What is this?" He questioned her, his deep gray eyes piercing into hers.

She shook her head, "I don't know, but whatever it is, it's wrong."

He pressed his lips to hers, and she eagerly responded. Their mouths danced together, their arms embracing each other, their breaths always running short far before they wanted to pull away.

        "If it's so wrong, why do you keep kissing back?" He questioned, breathing heavily.

She shook her head, "I don't know. You're just so…"  
        "Devilishly charming?" He suggested with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, "No. I just… I don't know. What are we now? We're not enemies…"

        "I don't know," he replied, pressing his lips to hers again, savoring the vanilla sweetness of her mouth. She kissed him eagerly as his hands slipped under her shirt and rested on the skin of her waist.

        "You know," she said, panting as he pressed kisses on her neck again, "There is that whole... prophecy thing..."

The thought didn't sink in considering she pressed her lips to his and said against them, "Not here."

He nodded and slowly moved them to the couch, their lips never separating from each other's as she pulled him down ontop of her. He smirked at her, "I thought this was wrong and you pled 'temporary insanity'?"   
She rolled her eyes, "Figures you would taunt me while beginning what I fear to be a very long snogging session."

He just smirked again as she unbuttoned his school shirt and pulled it off as he watched her. She was so innocent, even as she pulled his wifebeater off of his torso; she never once looked like the lust-craved Hogwarts whores he'd frequented before. In fact, she looked at him as if he was a prize--a priceless treasure that should be protected with her life. It gave him butterflies to see someone look at him with more than just jealousy, anger, or lust in their eyes.

        "What?" She asked, her fingers making lazy circles on his back, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head as he kept looking at her, taking in every little detail of her face. He knew this simple snogging "relationship" they'd begun would eventually either end or become more one day, but he had decided to treasure every night he had to feel the butterflies he'd wanted since he was a kid.

        "You're..." he paused, pressing a kiss to her lips, before running them down her neck, "So... beautiful..." he finished, continuing to kiss her neck.  
Hermione thought she would pass out with the intense pleasure of it all. Kisses on the neck had always been a total aphrodisiac for her, and he'd figured that out the first night. In the time span of a little less than forty-eight hours, he'd managed to learn everything he needed to make her skin crawl with anticipation and her breath catch in her throat.

They spent the next two hours in a casual fashion--long, intense kisses interrupted by caresses and short conversation; slowly, the two worst enemies in Hogwarts History since James Potter and Severus Snape, began to slowly fall in love, and learn what they never thought they'd know: each other.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione arrived in the Great Hall the next morning with butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She still feared facing him, but the fear had changed; now she was afraid to see him because of their now two secret snogging sessions in the privacy of the Heads Dorm.

She'd worn the regulation uniform with her hair swept up and held in the twisted fashion it was in with a silver clip; she had on subtle silver eye make-up and plain gloss on her lips. She still received many stares and gapes from the male student body at Hogwarts, but there were only two gazes she really _felt_: Draco's and Xander's.

As her friends began with their usual mindless chatter, Hermione stared off into space, her finger running around the edge of her glass of pumpkin juice. So she'd snogged him twice--now what? Would they just be the one each other went to when they needed to work off some of the raging hormones half of the student body was experiencing? Or were they fated to be more?  
She shook her head; was she even sure she _wanted_ more? He'd freaked out when she'd looked at Xander--imagine how he'd react if he ever saw some of the boys flirting with her! He'd be sent to Azkaban for murder before he was twenty. Besides, she didn't even know what her feelings were for him now; what if he hadn't felt anything?

Before her mind could find a logical answer to this question, someone called, "Look!"

All of the sets of eyes in the Great Hall flew to the ceiling. The message had changed again.

**_'Tis the first of November,_**

**_And all through the school,_**

**_Rumors are spreading,_**

**_Of a midnight duel.  
No spells have been cast,_**

**_No insults've been thrown,_**

**_They want nothing more_**

**_Than to be each other's own.  
Their time is growing short,_**

**_Little than two months till the day,  
They'll learn to love together,  
Or die their own way._**

Hermione didn't have to ask her friends' opinions like all the other students were; she had a very good idea of who the two were, and her mind was telling her she'd better talk to Malfoy as soon as she could.

Draco saw the message as well, and he nearly swore out loud. It all made sense; one day he'd hated her, and the next he couldn't get enough of her; her eyes, her hair, her taste, her feel--she was the drug, and he was the addict, and this was a very new position for him. Usually it was the other way around, but this time she held the power.

The only question was: would she put him through withdrawal, or give him what he needed?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_You only see what your eyes want to see,  
How can life be what you want it to be?_

_Your frozen, when your heart's not open._

The school day passed far too quickly for Hermione and Draco. Both spent all their time trying to figure out how they had been chosen for the Coalesces Oracle. Why hadn't it been any other Slytherin or Gryffindor? All of the students in those two houses were avid enemies of each other; why had the oracle chosen them? The two worst enemies of their year?__

_You're so consumed with how much you get,  
You waste your time with hate and regret,_

_Your broken, when your heart's not open._

All during dinner the two caught each other glancing at the other, but they didn't give any of the other students a reason to be suspicious. They were cautious; if the school found out the Head Boy and Girl had snogged twice in twenty-four hours, there would be no stopping the rumors. After all, neither Hermione nor Draco were sure they wanted anything to become of this little fiasco they'd begun.__

_Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart_

_Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart_

_Mmmmmm, give yourself to me_

_Mmmmmm, you hold the key_

Little did either of them know, two pairs of eyes were watching them with piqued interest. The man's eyes flicked between them both, but the woman's eyes watched Draco intently. She noticed his expression     was blank. However, his eyes said it all; he was looking at the Gryffindor with a keen eye.

The woman scoffed, and the man turned to look at her. She nodded, clearly saying, "Yes, I'll do it."

The man smirked at her before he stood and made his way out of the Great Hall; he and the woman had a rendezvous, and he wouldn't be late.__

_Now there's no point in placing the blame_

_And you should know I suffer the same_

_If I lose you, my heart will be broken._

Hermione was partly thankful that Professor Binns had assigned a long essay on the Elf Wars of 1245; this meant she had to spend that night at the library--and not in the common room with a particular blonde haired Slytherin. She shouldered her bag and bid her best friends goodbye before throwing one final glance at the man she was falling for and leaving the Great Hall.__

_Love is a bird, she needs to fly,_

_Let all the hurt inside of you die  
You're frozen, when your heart's not open._

        "Hello, Hermione," Xander said as he caught up with her a few seconds later.

        "Hi, Xander," she said, a little hesitant to give him a hug, considering what a controversy a simple look had caused with Draco.

        **Who cares if it pisses him off? At this moment, we're not together; we just occasionally make out.**

She smiled at the man next to her before stopping and giving him a hug.

        "How have you been?" She asked as they pulled apart.

He smiled down at her, "I've been quite well; getting ready to go home for Thanksgiving. How about you?"

        "I'm getting ready to as well; all of my friends are going to Ron's house the night after Thanksgiving, so we'll all be spending time together."

        "Sounds like fun. You do have a delightful group of friends."

She smiled, "Thanks, I happen to agree."

        "Well, I have to catch up with an old friend, and it looks like you have a lot of work to do."

She nodded, "Thank you. I'll see you later."

        "Have a good night, lass."

        "You too."

Hermione waved as she entered the library and Xander continued walking down the hall.__

_Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart_

_Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart_

_Mmmmmm, give yourself to me_

_Mmmmmm, you hold the key_

        "You okay, man?" Blaise asked Draco as they entered the Slytherin common room and chased a few first years out of the corner.

        "Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

Blaise shrugged, "You seem a little preoccupied."

Draco sighed as they set up the Wizard Chess board, "I suppose I am a little."

Blaise looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, "Anything you want to talk about."

Draco didn't answer right away. His father had taught him not to depend on others; and he never did. The only two exceptions to that age-old Malfoy rule were Blaise, his best friend in which he held more confidence than anyone in the world, and... Hermione. He was beginning to depend on her, and it was annoying him. He depended on her for the butterflies, for the excitement, for the pleasure... he _hated_ that she held all of these things that he needed.

But at the moment, she wasn't where he was. Blaise was.

        "Well," Draco said, slowly, "There's a new girl..."__

_You only see what your eyes want to see,_

_How can life be what you want it to be?_

_You're frozen, when your heart's not open._

The man smirked as he saw her sitting on the ledge of the Astronomy Tower.

        "So?" He questioned, walking over to her.

She stood and walked closer to him, "I'll do it. That bitch is going down, and he's going to go with her."

He gave her an evil smile, "Both of them will pay; it's a shame she has to suffer because of him."

        "It's her fucking fault," the woman spat, "Mudblood trash trying to get with a pureblood. It's never been right, and it never will be."

        "She's never done anything to me," he said, "Except make the mistake of giving me her trust."

The woman scoffed as she ran her hands down his broad chest, "Stupid whore trusts everyone."

He smirked, "In this case, it's a good thing."

        "One question," she asked, "Why did you pick me to do this?"

He shrugged as she backed up to the ledge and sat down, pulling him with her by his tie, "Because you want revenge as much as I do, and I know you can help me destroy them."

        "Damn right I can," she said, "That asshole has screwed with me one to many times, and I'll only be too happy to watch that bitch die with him."

The man smirked as she put her hand on the back of his head and pressed her lips to his, her tongue lashing out against his lips.

        "What do we do first?" She asked in a sigh as he ran his tongue down from her mouth to her neck.

        "First, we wait another week to see if it looks like they'll fulfill the oracle. If it looks that way, we'll start to create distrust between the two. If it _doesn't_ look that way, we'll start to create _anger_ between them. I already know they're the two to fulfill the oracle; if they don't fall in love and admit it by the New Years' Dance, they both die, and our job is done."

She smirked, "You know, you don't look as cunning as you are."

        "That's the idea," he told her as their lips met again, evil smirks on both of their faces.__

_Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart_

_Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart_

_Mmmmmm, give yourself to me_

_Mmmmmm, you hold the key-y_

        "So you're falling for her and don't want to?" Blaise questioned after Draco explained his predicament.

He nodded as they packed up the chessboard, "What do you think?"

Blaise stretched and yawned, "Well, I think you should wait it out and see if you think she feels the same."

Draco nodded again before standing, "I better get some sleep."

        "Me too," Blaise said, shaking his friend's hand, "See you tomorrow, Dragon."

        "Same to you, Fire."

Draco left the common room with more to think about than when he'd entered it.__

_If I could melt your heart,_

_Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart_

_Mmmmmm, give yourself to me_

_Mmmmmm, you hold the key_

        "He's just too difficult," Hermione told herself as she stared out of her bedroom window at the full moon, "Give me a sign that it's worth it."

She turned over and fell into a very uneasy sleep. Who wouldn't be uneasy? Evil was brewing at Hogwarts, and little did she know she was right in the middle of it.__

_If I could melt your heart._


	22. Chapter XXI

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** WOW! I have reviews! lol I'm so excited!! :)  
Well, I'd like to update you all—I have all the chapters done except for the last two which I'm editing, so at this point you're just waiting for me to get my lazy butt to the computer and upload the chapters! I apologize for any typos or spelling mistakes—I am basically my own beta! lol :) I'd also like to let you guys know that I'm already planning my next story! For some of you who read my short lived fic containing the Fates called _All's Fair in Love and War_, I would like you guys to know that I am **NOT** reloading it. I'm taking the general idea (which I came up with, I swear) and putting it into the plot I've already created for my next story! As soon as I get a title that I'm sure about, I will post it on this story so you guys know what to look for! Thank you for enjoying this fic so much, I appreciate all the support! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was two days until Thanksgiving break and Hermione hadn't spoken to Draco since their last... rendezvous on the common room couch. Usually when she got a crush on someone, it slowly died after their second or third encounter. But this time she found herself  physically aching for his touch; the feel of his breath on her skin, his hands on her waist, his lips on her neck…

        **Stop it, Hermione!** She scolded herself, **You _don't care about Malfoy!_**

She sat in Arithmancy that Thursday afternoon, unconsciously tapping the feather of her quill against the top of the desk. She stared out the window at the cool gray lake.

        _It almost looks like his-_

        **NO!** She scolded herself, **NO! Stop it!**

But she just couldn't stop making analogies between simple things such as colors and his features. The gray of the lake and his eyes, the white of the sky nearly identical to his pale blonde hair…

        **This is ridiculous! **She scolded herself, **He's not even that attractive.**

This was probably the biggest lie she'd ever told in her entire life. Just the mere thought of him was enough to make her skin tingle with anticipation. No matter how much her mind screamed with the horrid memories of his tormenting, her body and heart betrayed her every time.

If only she could figure out what would make this need for him diminish.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Draco walked into the common room the next evening, mentally preparing for his return home the next morning. Being around his father wasn't as easy as he tried to convince himself it was, therefore it took a lot of mental preparation.

As soon as he walked in, he immediately noticed her door was open. He always noticed little things like that; it was a habit he'd gotten from being a Seeker for six years. He walked by, the only light coming from the flickering flames of the fire.

Draco peeked into her crimson and gold room and saw her fire was the only thing illuminating the room. She appeared a moment later in the doorway.

        "What do you want, Malfoy?"  
He raised his eyebrows, "Make out with me twice and still call me by my last name? Wouldn't that be considered poor form, Hermione?"

She rolled her eyes, "What do you want?"

        "Can't I simply say goodnight?" He questioned, leaning on her door jam.

She crossed her arms over her chest, angry with herself for wearing such short shorts and such a revealing tank top, "And why would you want to do that? Why waste your breath on a Mudblood?"

His eyes sparked with rekindled annoyance, "You do have a point; why would I extend such a courtesy to you?"

        "God only knows," she replied, preparing to shut the door, "I don't know what I was thinking; believing you could change," she muttered almost incoherently. He, however, had heard her.

She started to shut the door, but his arm blocked it from moving any farther, "Since when did this become about _me_ changing?" He demanded.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "It isn't, it's just..."

        "What?" He asked, no impatience evident in his voice. This was very strange for him; one minute, he looks at her with growing contempt, and the next minute he wants to put whatever it is that's bothering her at ease.

        **You're losing your mind, Draco,** he told himself, but he couldn't help stepping closer to her and looking down into her deep brown eyes. They were like pools of milk chocolate; warm and inviting and irresistable.

        "We haven't talked about anything since...since..."

        "Since you snogged me?"

Her eyes went wide, "I beg your pardon? _You_ initiated the first one."

        "Ahh, but you started the second one."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Listen, we have to talk about this before it gets way out of hand."

        "I agree. So talk."

She rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms over her chest, "So... we're not exactly enemies any more..."

        "But not exactly friends either," he added in, leaning against the door jam again.

        "Right. So what are we?"

        "Two people who snog each other whenever the mood strikes them?"

She scoffed, "Yeah, I'd love to explain that to my friends."

His brow furrowed, "Good point; I wouldn't want to explain that to _my_ friends either."

        "So, are we going to talk in public, or..." She motioned with her hand for him to finish the sentence.

        "Not unless you're prepared for all the rumors and talk and whispers and all that behind-the-back bullshit that people are good for," he replied, watching her intently.

        "Well, are you prepared for that?"

        "Hermione, I'm a Malfoy; I grew up with that."

She nodded, "True. Well, I'm used to rumors as well, I suppose. I mean, my two best friends are guys, so I get my fair share of talk."

        "What about the Gryffindors? If they see you conversing or consorting with a Slytherin... even more horrific, me... wouldn't they disown you or something?"

She shook her head, "No, they'd never do that. But what about the Slytherins?"

        "I have most of those people's adoration and allegiance--they won't be a problem," he told her.

        "So... civil in public--"

He raised an eyebrow suggestively, "Not so civil behind closed doors."

She rolled her eyes and tried to slap him, but he caught her wrist.

        "Not very smart, Mya," he told her, pulling her closer to him.

        "Where in the world do you get _Mya_ out of _Hermione_?" She questioned, her back now flush against his chest.

His lips were very close to her ear as he whispered, "_Her**MY**one_--it sounds like you're saying _Mya_."

Her pulse was racing as she felt his breath on her neck as he gently pushed her hair to the side.

        "Well," she said, her voice much softer than it had been, "Then it's only fair I come up with a nickname for you."

        "Well, anything except Dragon," he told her, "Blaise calls me that."

She nodded "All right, no Dragon..." she thought for a moment, "Dray," she said simply, "Quite ironically the first syllable of your long and difficult name."

He smirked at her reference to their previous argument, "I think it works."

She smiled at him and ran a hand through his blonde hair, "I happen to agree."

Draco smiled at her before gently pressing his lips to hers. Hermione felt her knees weaken as he held her close to his body. Her mind was screaming that this could never work, but no argument her mind came up with made her stop.

        "God, how can I hate you and want you at the same time?" She asked as they separated for air.

        "I haven't the slightest idea, but I assure you I'm confused on that issue as well," he reassured her. At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind and she pushed away from him.

His brows furrowed, "What?"

She took a deep breath and swallowed, running a hand through her hair, "Umm.. last year..."

Draco looked down and saw the tip of the black mark just visible over the neck of his shirt. He looked back up at her and watched her carefully.

        "You think I'm only doing this for revenge?"

She raised her eyebrows, "It would be very good revenge."

He rolled his eyes, "Hermione," he told her, "I don't care about last year."

        "Come on," she hissed, disbelief clouding her voice, "Up until two weeks ago even the slightest mention of that night sent you off. Now it doesn't bother you?"  
Draco licked his lips, "All right," he said, "I care, okay? Is that all you want? You want to see me admit that the fact that you won kills me? Well, Hermione, I admit it. I hate that you won. We've been fighting since first year to see who is best, and you've beat me every time. You're still beating me; you have more control over this whole... _situation_ than I do."

        "Why does everything have to be a contest?" She asked exasperatedly, "Who cares who is the strongest or the smartest or the most 'in-control'? Both of us hated each other, both of us finally fought, both of us came back, and both of us have been... _drawn_ to each other, I suppose. No one has to be the winner!"

        "You don't understand," he told her, "My father expects me to be first in _everything_--why do you think he comes to every single Quidditch match? To see if he can find a weakness in the other teams that I need to know about so we can beat them. It's the same thing."

        "Not necessarily," she told him, "Your father doesn't--" her eyes went wide, "--doesn't... know about us."

        "And he's not going to," Draco told her, "Not unless this becomes something more. For now we're just--"

        "--Friends with benefits?" She quipped. He smirked.

        "Sounds all right."

She rolled her eyes, "Well, I guess we have time over Thanksgiving to see if we're both willing to be in that kind of relationship. Goodnight, Dray."

He raised an eyebrow, "Come on, you know you can't do that--it's not fair."

She smirked, "Life isn't fair, Mr. Malfoy--I'll see you after Thanksgiving break."

He groaned, leaving the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanksgiving passed quickly for all of the seventh year students. Ginny and Ron returned to the Burrow, along with Harry. They had a large dinner with all of the Weasleys except for Percy, who was still on the outs with his family.

Seamus went home to Ireland; Parvati and Lavender went home as well.  
Blaise went to Malfoy Manor with Draco for Thanksgiving that year, due to the Zabini's trip to Romania.   
Hermione went home as well, but her visit was a very uneasy one. Every time she had a moment alone, her mind would easily wander to Malfoy. She had no way of knowing what would happen when they returned from Thanksgiving break, and part of her was dreading it too. Besides, what if the attraction was purely physical, and nothing else? How would things be _then_?

Hermione couldn't fall asleep the night before her return to Hogwarts; she was more nervous than she ever thought she would be. After all, the mere memory of his face made her even more nervous; butterflies fluttered around in her stomach as she shut her eyes and tried to think of something other than him. Besides, if all she could think about was him, she would be in serious trouble.  
Little did she know, he was feeling the same way. All of it was so forbidden that it excited both of them to no end. It was enticing, knowing that if the world were in on their secret, it would be the most scandalous thing to happen in the history of the Wizarding World.

Hermione, that night, decided that when she returned to Hogwarts, she would let him be in charge. No more 'Hermione making the moves.'

If Draco wanted her, he would have to make the move; Hermione wasn't going to do it for him.  
She thought it sounded a little old fashioned and selfish, but it would also prove the one thing she needed to know: if he was serious about her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If there was any more inopportune time for Hermione to wake up sick, today was that time. She woke up with her head throbbing and her throat on fire.

**Perfect,** she thought as she dragged herself out of bed, **I always seem to have the best timing.**

Despite her ailments, she managed to prepare for her departure in relatively good time. She left her hair naturally wavy, due to her lack of dedication to straightening it. She pulled it into a ponytail, wrapping a strand of hair around the elastic. She applied very little make-up; black eyeliner, mascara, and a little lip gloss, and the only jewelry she wore was two silver rings on her right hand, and a pair of silver hoop earrings. She pulled on a soft black turtleneck sweater, a pair of fitted, faded boot-cut jeans, and her black boots. She knew she didn't look her best, but she was too tired and sick to care. After all, if Draco couldn't be attracted to her when she wasn't looking her best, he wasn't worth it.

She made it back to the train station but still didn't feel completely herself. She found a secluded compartment and curled up in a ball on one of the seats, staring out the window and absent-mindedly twirling one of her rings around her finger. She wasn't even sure Malfoy was on this train, but she had a feeling that he was. She also knew at any moment her crew of friends would come barrelling into the compartment, so she enjoyed these last few minutes of solitude.

Not even three minutes later, the door slid open and in came Harry, Ginny, Ron, Lavender, Seamus, and Parvati.

Hugs and smiles were exchanged, and they all quickly learned that Hermione's ailments made it hard for her to speak.

        "How was your vacation, 'Mione?" Harry asked after they'd settled into the compartment: Harry and Ginny sitting next to Hermione; Seamus, Parvati, Ron, and Lavender on the other seat across from them.

Hermione gave him a thumbs up, and he smiled, "Good," he replied.

        "How was all of your vacations?" She squeaked out, her words barely coherent.

        "Don't try to talk!" Parvati scolded her, "It'll make it worse."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she listened intently to her friends' stories. Hermione, however, was only half-listening. She felt a chill go up her spine, and she had a feeling that Draco was somewhere nearby. She tried, to the best of her ability, to push him from her mind and focus on her friends.

Halfway through the trip, while Seamus and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess (the board propped up on one of their trunks), the compartment door slid open.

Hermione, who'd been watching the two with intense boredom, her head resting on her hand and her legs crossed, looked up and her eyes plainly showed the panic she was feeling.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the compartment door.

Within three seconds, Ron attempted to stand up. Seamus and Lavender, however, kept him in his seat.

        "What the hell do _you_ want, Malfoy?" Ron spat.

Draco's cool gaze fell on the irritated red-head and said, "Not that it's any of your business, _Weasley_, but I need to talk to Hermione."

Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati gasped at his mention of Hermione's name; Ron, Seamus, and Harry looked at one another before watching Malfoy carefully. Hermione lifted her head from her hand and stood up. Ron touched her arm and she shook her head, obviously meaning, "Don't worry—I'll be fine." He nodded as she walked past Malfoy and out into the corridor of the train.

Draco shut the door behind her and turned around to see her standing with her arms crossed over her chest; only about four feet separated them.

        "What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked, her voice scratchy and off-pitch.

His eyes showed slight concern, "How long have you been sick?"

        "What does it matter?" She asked, "It's no concern of yours."

His eyes narrowed and turned chilly, "That's only too true."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sick of your games, Malfoy," she said, "I want you to forget everything that happened between us, okay? It doesn't matter."

She moved to enter the compartment again, but he blocked her way.

        "Get out of my way!" She said, probably having screamed this had she had full use of her voice.

        "No," he said, producing a small vial from his cloak.

        "What is that?" She asked, her heart jumping into her throat as one thought crossed her mind: _He's going to poison me._

        "Veritaserum," he replied. Her heart returned to it's original place, but her curiosity piqued.

        "What for?" She asked.

He put the vial back into his pocket, and looked up at her, his light gray eyes piercing into her brown ones.

        "Tonight, at midnight, go to the tree; the one we saw in the dream. I'll explain it then."

He walked off in the other direction, smirking to himself at the plan he'd devised. He would find out what was really going on in Hermione Granger's head; and that information would be more than helpful to him.

She stood for a moment, her arms still crossed in front of her, watching his retreating form.

        _What in the world is going on with him? _She wondered as she re-entered the compartment and spent the rest of the train ride with her friends, wondering what he was planning on doing with the Veritaserum.


	23. Chapter XXII

The Passion of a Dragon

**By:**xKatx

**Author's Notes:** WOW! I have reviews! lol I'm so excited!! :)  
Well, I'd like to update you all—I have all the chapters done except for the last two which I'm editing, so at this point you're just waiting for me to get my lazy butt to the computer and upload the chapters! I apologize for any typos or spelling mistakes—I am basically my own beta! lol :) I'd also like to let you guys know that I'm already planning my next story! For some of you who read my short lived fic containing the Fates called _All's Fair in Love and War_, I would like you guys to know that I am **NOT** reloading it. I'm taking the general idea (which I came up with, I swear) and putting it into the plot I've already created for my next story! As soon as I get a title that I'm sure about, I will post it on this story so you guys know what to look for! Thank you for enjoying this fic so much, I appreciate all the support! ::muah::

**IN THIS CHAPTER:** Flashback to the war—what _really_ happened between Draco and Hermione that night? Here lies the answer...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_They pulled on the plum purple robes in a timely fashion. There were about 500 of them in the Great Hall that night, all preparing for the same moment._

_Hermione pulled on the black gloves that came with the robes, carefully tucking the handle end of her wand into a strip of dragonhide across the palm of the right-hand glove, so her wand could not fall out once the battle started._

_She was nervous; her heart was beating rapidly, and her breath coming in quick spurts. She saw Harry securing his robes. He looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled weakly back at him. She shouldn't be nervous; Dumbledore had placed protective charms on every single one of them; any curses would simply knock them out cold for twelve hours. It was reassuring, except for the fact that these charms didn't protect them from the Killing Curse._

_All too soon, the castle shook menacingly, and the five-hundred students who'd offered to fight for Dumbledore tore out of the Great Hall._

_The first four hours of the battle dragged on for her. She managed to disarm and capture many Death Eaters, having only received minor hits herself. She was looking for one man in particular, though. The man she'd seen fly out of the castle the night before._

_She'd been up getting a drink at about two in the morning. She was standing at the window, looking out over the moon-lit grounds when she saw a figure walking out of the castle. She squinted and immediately saw the platinum blonde hair that was unique to only one person at that school._

_ "What the hell is he doing?" She whispered to herself, watching as he mounted his broom and took off in a Northern direction._

_Now she was carefully walking through the woods, looking for him. She knew he was fighting for them; the only question was, had someone else gotten to him already?_

_She stopped dead in her tracks, feeling a cold shiver up her spine. He was nearby. She turned around, and there he stood; that same damnable creature she'd been looking for. She was glad she'd found him; she had her fair share of words to say to him._

_ "You," she spat, as if even speaking to him left a nasty taste on her tongue._

_He gave her a condescending smirk, "Me."_

_ "I should have let you die," she told him, her wand at the ready._

_She knew referring to the incident at the Valentine's Day ball would get to him._

_She'd left early due to a row she'd had with Ron. She was walking down the corridor, toward the stairs that led to Gryffindor tower when she saw a flash of white light, and saw someone fall to the ground._

_She looked around the corridor for someone else who could help, but realized she was alone. She rushed over, and saw the crumpled form of..._

_ "Malfoy?" She said with disbelief. She saw a small stream of blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth. She knew he was hurt—badly. She had to get him to the Hospital Wing, or he'd die. And that's just what she did._

_ "And not a moment too soon!" Madame Pomfrey had informed her a day later._

_She glared at him now, her fingers gripping her wand hard, preparing to hex him._

_His eyes flashed fire at her. He hated the fact that she'd saved his life only a month earlier, but she couldn't ruffle his feathers, "Regretting our decision, dear Mudblood?"_

_Hermione's eyes narrowed at him, "Malfoy, you're a self-righteous prick."_

_ "Watch your language, young lady," he told her wickedly, "We wouldn't want anyone of **importance** to hear you."_

_ "What, like your precious leader Voldemort?" She said, surprised to see he didn't bat an eyelash at the mention of his master's name._

_ "Filth like you don't deserve to speak that name," he spat._

_ "Oh, and pureblooded prats like you do? Don't you remember your leader is a Mudblood as well? Or has that little detail slipped your mind, dearest Malfoy?"_

_He smirked at her, "Oh, it hasn't slipped my mind at all."_

_She feigned a look of thoughtfulness, "Perhaps you don't want your **father** to hear you talking to a Mudblood. Is that it?"_

_His face stayed ice cold; a rough stone that time nor elements could age._

_ "Ah, that's it, isn't it? Want to keep up appearances around Father Dearest?" She asked, "Want him to see you take the life of a Mudblood? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Malfoy, but I won't be the one dying tonight."_

_He laughed, a cruel, bone-chilling, taunting laugh, "You think you're going to kill me? You go ahead and try, Granger."_

_She glared at him, staring at his regally masculine face. It was almost an attractive face, if it didn't have evil and hate clear in its expression. His smile, left over from his laughter, slowly melted into a look of temptation._

_ "We can take you in, you know," he said quietly, looking at her carefully, "We can make you one of us. Power, respect..."_

_ "Damnation," she spat, looking daggers at him._

_Before either could respond, there was an enormous explosion behind her. She was flung forward into him, his arms instinctively going around her waist to keep her from falling. Why he did this, she didn't understand. They fell into a tree, her back going against the trunk, his arms still around her._

_ "Get off of me," she whispered angrily as they heard screams and groans of pain; trees were falling from where the explosion had been, but at that moment she couldn't take her eyes off of his face_

_His cold, evil gray eyes bore down into her cinnamon brown ones; they seemed to burn, and she had to look away._

_ "You are beautiful, for a Mudblood," he whispered. She watched, enthralled by what she was seeing. His eyes, which were so dark gray they almost looked black, were slowly lightening, becoming a lighter, shinier gray._

_ "What the-" she began, but was silenced as his hand went to her cheek and he tenderly pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes went wide until she felt his arm snake farther around her waist and his fingers caress her face. She kissed back, her hand going around his wrist, gently running her skin against his. Why she did this, she had no idea; it felt like something was forcing her to kiss him back. Mind you, she wasn't turned off by the gesture at the moment._

_When they finally broke apart for oxygen, she looked into his eyes and felt her breath catch in her throat as his eyes began to darken, strips of black seeping back into the gray._

_ "You will be mine, someday," he told her before his eyes changed completely. She heard a voice yell a curse, but thought nothing of it until Draco shook with pain. She watched as he closed his eyes, fighting the curse to the best of his ability._

_She tore from his grasp, letting him fall against the tree as she saw Harry's wand slowly lowering from behind another tree. Draco slid to the ground, clutching his chest._

_Harry made a step forward, but Hermione shook her head._

_ "No, Harry, let me handle this," she said, "He's injured; he can't hurt me."_

_Harry nodded as he kicked Draco's wand away, "Be careful, 'Mione," he told her before running in the opposite direction._

_Hermione watched him as his figure disappeared, before looking down at Draco, who was coughing, still clutching his chest and fighting to breathe._

_She moved to his side and got down on a knee, watching him struggle. She brushed a strand of silvery blonde hair away from his forehead, where it had fallen when he was hit. His eyes were grayish-black, and flashed a look of hurt. He looked like she had betrayed him._

_ "I could kill you right now," she whispered, knowing perfectly well her Killing Curse would probably just knock him out._

_His eyes narrowed as he scoffed, "Then do it, Mudblood. Do it."_

_She smirked as she stood and pointed her wand at him, "No. I'll do something better."_

_She paused for a moment before closing her eyes and saying the only curse she knew that could do what she wished._

_ "DARCONUM LAVINUS!"_

Hermione jerked awake, her head flying off of the pillow. She hadn't had dreams like that since the beginning of the year; why were they suddenly starting up again?

Why are you so freaked out? She asked herself, You **lived** through that!

It was true; but the memories still gave her uneasy feelings. She couldn't even explain why they gave her those feelings; even pondering that made her uneasy. So, to keep life simple, she just avoided thinking of it at all.

She looked at the clock and realized she had three minutes to get down to the tree. She jumped off of her bed, looking in her mirror and seeing that her make-up wasn't smudged. She quickly pulled a brush through her hair and straightened her jeans and black turtleneck, having not changed since arriving. She pulled on her boots and ran from the room, sneaking out the corridor, down the stairs, into the Entrance Hall, and out of the castle. Luckily, she hadn't run into anyone: human, feline, or ghost.

It was a chilly, windy evening. She crossed her arms over her chest, shivering slightly as she made her way to the tree, pulling aside the branches and slipping into the shelter of the willows.

She saw him standing there, leaning against the trunk of the tree. She stayed where she was, arms crossed over her chest and making sure there was at least six feet between them. Part of her still didn't trust that what was in there was Veritaserum; this would be the perfect way and place to poison her and never get caught—no one knew she was here.

"What are we doing out here, Malfoy?" She asked, quickly getting to the point, her voice still not entirely there.

He pulled out the vial, "We're both going to get some real answers," he replied.

She shook her head, "I don't need Veritaserum to show me and tell me what I already know."

"And what is it you already know?" He questioned, pushing off of the tree and facing her, standing at his full six-foot-one height.

"I already know that what we did was a mistake and that I'm not letting myself get sucked into a trap."

"You think this is a trap?" He asked her, disbelief and offense creeping into his voice, "Why would I trap you?"

"Because I'm Mudblood Granger! Malfoy," she began, referring back to her old ways of addressing him, "You spent six years of your life making sure mine was a living hell. And now, you want to investigate a possible relationship with me? This could never work!"

"Stop acting like a drama queen, Granger. And I am not the only one who has given signs of wanting something more," he told her, his voice growing chilly, "You want more just as much as I do."

"I beg your pardon!" She said, uncrossing her arms and beginning to get into their argument, "You have been the one to initiate every single—"

"—Snogging session?" He offered. She nodded, but before she could continue, he began, "And if memory serves me correctly, you began the second one, and the first time we ever kissed was not a snogging session."

"Considering you were under Voldemort's control at that point, I don't even consider that our first kiss," she said, "Because I, for one, never even wanted it—"

"—Oh come off it!" He snarled, "You were kissing me back just before Potter hexed me!"

"I was not!" She insisted, "I was in a compromising situation where if I slapped you, which I assure you I was prepared to do, you could have killed me!"

"Granger, you need a reality check," he told her, "You know just as well as I that the only seventh year to ever perform a Killing Curse to its full effect and potential was Potter when he defeated Voldemort; I couldn't have killed you even if I wanted to."

"You could have easily killed me with your bare hands," she said, her anger and raised voice (though she was losing her vocal power quickly due to her ailments) never once lowering, "Or you could have easily knocked me out and brought me somewhere where your little Death Eater friends could have done the job for you."

"You're off your rocker," he told her, his voice hard and cold, "The only one we were after was Potter."

"And yet Ron and I are his best friends!" She spat back, "What, is this all some big plan of Voldemort's old supporters to get the Mudblood and the Weasel and Scarhead back for defeating your precious master?"

His eyes flashed that same fire that she'd seen in the Forbidden Forest only months earlier, "Why does this—" he motioned between the two of them, "—have to be some part of a master plan of the Dark Side's?"

"Because the thought and probability of you actually being interested in me is inconceivable," she told him, her voice lowering, "You have your choice of pretty much any girl in this school; including some of the Gryffindors."

"That doesn't mean I want any of them," he informed her, his anger still evident, as was hers.

"Why the hell are you coming after me then?"

He didn't answer, and soon she formed a theory.

"Oh, I get it," she said, crossing her arms and looking at him, "You saw that Xander was interested in me, and you got jealous, didn't you? You are the type who thinks the grass is always greener on the other side. You only want what others have, and once you have it, you throw it away."

"Don't you even dare get under the impression that you know who I am," he warned her, "You haven't the slightest fucking idea who I am."

"Turnabouts fair play," she spat, her voice so riveted with hatred and annoyance that it shook, "You've thought for years that the only thing to me is that I'm a Mudblood bookworm who tags along with Harry Potter for the fame. You've always thought that, and you've been dead wrong."

"Then what does make the infamous Hermione Granger tick?" He questioned with sarcasm, "All of your exterior traits are the only ones you expose to people, so why is their assumed ideas of who you are so wrong if you won't show them who you truly are?"

"I could ask you the same damn question," she said, her voice quickly fading in volume.

There was silence between them, the tension so thick it almost made it hard for both of them to breathe.

"Look-" he began, but she held up a hand to halt his talking.  
"You know what, Malfoy, it doesn't matter," she said, crossing her arms and running a hand through her hair, "We snogged; big deal. It was nothing more than that, and it never will be. You're who you are, I'm who I am, and we're never going to change. It's pointless trying to make something like this work when it seems that something is always blocking the way."

"Her-" he started, but she shook her head. He was becoming quite annoyed with being cut-off; he was definitely not used to it.

"Just go on with your usual Malfoy ways, and I'll go on with who I am, and we'll just live our lives," she said.

"If that's the way you want it," he said, his voice still cold and heartless; very unlike his behavior in previous days.

"It is. Just consider me another one of your infamous conquests," she said, turning away and preparing to leave the tree.

"So that's what it is," he said, his voice showing his sudden understanding.

"What?" She asked, turning back around.

He put his hands in his pants pocket and walked over to her, beginning to circle her as a vulture circles its meal.

"You," he began, his voice low and hard, "You are so afraid of something being real, that you find a way out of it every time. You don't want anything serious, so you dismiss things as 'conquests' or 'regular habits.' You are so damn afraid that something like a relationship will interrupt your schedule of what your life is going to be that you push away anyone who wants anything to do with you outside school and friendship."

He continued to circle her. She stared straight ahead, telling herself not to listen; but most of all, willing herself not to cry. He was getting to the roots of her innermost fear, and that scared the shit out of her. He was her enemy; he wasn't supposed to know what scared her the most, and he was slowly finding it out.

"You're so scared of being intimate with someone that you find an excuse in everyone to keep them at arms length. Potter is too dangerous; too many people are after him. The Weasel is too impatient and quarrelsome; you'd never get along with him. Finnigan; too indifferent. And then there's Mr. Vitrikson—the one who has charmed you into thinking he's different."

She opened her mouth to protest, but quickly shut it as tears welled up in her eyes.

"He's no different, Hermione," Malfoy's voice whispered coldly, "He's a man—just like all the others. You haven't dismissed him yet, but you will."

She willed herself enough not to let the tears overflow her eyes. He was really hitting a nerve, and she wanted nothing more than to hit one of his.

"Then along comes the one you never expected: your greatest enemy; your arch-nemesis," he purred evilly, knowing he was really touching on something she didn't want to think about, "And he breaks through those barriers; he's intimate with you, and you with him. Suddenly you realize, once you've had time away from him, that he's gotten through those walls you've built; of all people, your enemy has seen your vulnerability. So you find something in him to push him away," he pauses for a moment, standing behind her and talking quietly in her ear, "Draco Malfoy, once a fighter for Voldemort; evil through and through."

She took in a deep, shaking breath as he finished, "The one person who has touched you, and he's the one you fear the most."

"Screw you, Malfoy," she said as she turned, looked at his cold, arrogant face, and walked away, leaving the shelter of the willows.

That bastard, she thought to herself, what gives him the right to think he knows what's going on with me?

But she knew in her heart that everything he'd said was true. He'd gotten to the root of the problem, and there was no way he was going to forget it.

He stood there, watching the willow branches move from where she'd left. He felt a little pang of guilt that he'd caused her pain, but the Malfoy arrogance and pride made him realize he had won. He'd beat her at mind games, and he'd found out just what was truly the problem with Hermione Granger and men.

I don't need her, he told himself as he left the willow as well, she's just another woman.

But in his heart; yes, even Malfoys have them, he knew she was the one he wanted; and she was the one he would get.


	24. Chapter XXIII

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** WOW! I have reviews! lol I'm so excited!! :)  
Well, I'd like to update you all—I have all the chapters done except for the last two which I'm editing, so at this point you're just waiting for me to get my lazy butt to the computer and upload the chapters! I apologize for any typos or spelling mistakes—I am basically my own beta! lol :) I'd also like to let you guys know that I'm already planning my next story! For some of you who read my short lived fic containing the Fates called _All's Fair in Love and War_, I would like you guys to know that I am **NOT** reloading it. I'm taking the general idea (which I came up with, I swear) and putting it into the plot I've already created for my next story! As soon as I get a title that I'm sure about, I will post it on this story so you guys know what to look for! Thank you for enjoying this fic so much, I appreciate all the support! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

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Hermione spent the night crying herself to sleep; vowing that she would get all of her emotion out behind closed doors before classes started the next day. There was no way she was going to let the entire school see her break down in the Great Hall over Malfoy; she'd seen too many girls go that way.

She awoke the next morning at five-thirty, thankful that she was up before Malfoy; she knew he usually rose at about six.

She quickly grabbed a bathrobe and a towel and snuck into the bathroom, securely locking the door behind her.

While massaging her two-in-one vanilla-scented shampoo/conditioner into her hair, she decided on a course of action. She knew Malfoy wanted her; he'd admitted it during the battle.

"You will be mine, someday," he'd told her.

She decided she wasn't going to wait around for Malfoy anymore; she was sick of playing the Gryffindor prude you didn't know how to flirt or charm a man. She was going to loosen up a little.

But **no** loosening up as in sleeping with random guys! She told herself harshly. She was not going to be the Gryffindor slut. But she was going to have some fun with the rest of her year.

She got out of the shower, the intense smell of vanilla suffusing the bathroom, unconsciously calming her.  
She wrapped a towel around her hair and tied the belt of her bathrobe.

She re-entered her room and dressed in her usual Hogwarts uniform, with the sleeves of her shirt rolled up securely. She pulled the towel off of her head and ran her fingers through her hair, the curls forming nicely. She let her hair air-dry, the frizzy curls slowly becoming silky waves in her hair. She applied dark, smokey eye-makeup, hoping to cover some of the redness brought on by her tears. She applied foundation to even out her skin, hiding the blotchiness that a night of crying had produced. She popped a mint into her mouth, applied some clear gloss to her lips, ran her hands through her wavy hair once more, and turned away from her vanity.

She made sure her socks were pulled up over her knees; the gold, black, and crimson plaid skirt hit mid-thigh, and that her shirt was tucked in, complete with the matching plaid tie around her neck. She was ready to take on the world; one step at a time.

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Hermione arrived in the Great Hall at about nine o'clock that morning. She didn't throw a single glance at the Slytherin table during that time, and found herself feeling pride that she could handle this so well in public. She put her bag under the bench and sat down between Ron and Harry.

"Mornin', 'Mione," Ron said, his mouth full of oatmeal.

"Ron, you really need to learn table etiquette," she told him, and he gave her an innocent look.

"Are you saying I don't have class?" He questioned, and Harry snorted into his oatmeal.

Hermione laughed and patted Harry on the back to make sure he didn't inhale any of the breakfast food, "That's _precisely_ what I'm saying, Ron."  
He threw her a look before swallowing and saying, in a much more normal, coherent voice, "Morning, Hermione."

"There! See, that wasn't hard, was it?"  
Ron pretended to wipe away tears, "You have no idea," he said in a feigned-distressed voice.

Again, Harry nearly upset his breakfast upon seeing Ron.

"Harry, honestly, he's not that funny!" Hermione said, turning and looking at her raven-haired best friend.

"Oh, 'Mione, I'm sorry it's just... he's such a drama queen!" Harry said, laughing out loud, Ron joining in as well.

"_Stop being such a drama queen, Granger,"_ the memory of the night before came flooding back into her mind, but she pushed it away quickly, not letting her smile falter once.

"Will you two knock it off?" She asked, "It wasn't that funny, seriously."

The boys' laughter soon died down as Ginny, Lavender, Parvati, and Seamus arrived in the Great Hall.

Hermione scanned around the Hall, looking for one familiar face. She searched the Ravenclaw table until she found him.

Xander Vitrikson looked up, caught her eye, and smiled. She returned the smile before turning back to her friends, who were discussing Seamus' attempt and near failure to get dressed that morning.

Little did Hermione or Xander know, a pair of steel gray eyes had watched the entire exchange, and continued to watch her. How dare she challenge him like that? She knew he wanted her; and she knew he'd fight for her if it meant that much to him.

_There's no way someone like Xander is going to take her away from me,_ Draco told himself. He still didn't trust Xander one bit, and he had a strange feeling that the Ravenclaw was up to no good.

His eyes swiveled back to her, watching her smile and laugh and talk with her friends. He saw Potter put an arm around her, and he nearly jumped out of his seat. He was being ridiculous—she wasn't with him yet, and he needed to calm down before he did something extremely embarassing.

Little did he know, someone was watching Hermione and him as well. The owner of the eyes chuckled evilly.

"They've already grown apart," he whispered to himself, "Now all we need is to wedge them even further apart. She can take care of him; I'll take care of the girl."

The figure laughed harshly before turning away.

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Considering the students at Hogwarts had returned to classes on Friday, that evening was extremely relaxed. Homework was pushed aside until Sunday evening, and the students had free time to spend outside. 

Hermione and the Gryffindor crew (minus Ginny, who had a report due for Professor Sprout, and insisted the others go on without her) decided a evening by the lake would be nice before the snow began to fall. Being it the last day of November, the snow would be coming, and so would Christmas.

The group decided to meet in the Entrance Hall after changing into warmer clothes.

Hermione walked up the stairs to the Heads Dormitory, seeing Elvira the Elusive sitting, very bored, in the frame.

"Long time no see, Miss Hermione," Elvira said, "How have you been?"

"Not all that great, Miss Elvira," she admitted to the painting.

Elvira tipped her head, "The prophecy?" She questioned.

Hermione looked up, "How did you know about that?"  
"Ahh, Miss Hermione, I was here when it was last fulfilled."

Hermione's eyes widened, "You knew Taryn and Luke?"  
Elvira looked shocked that Hermione knew their names, "Why, yes, I guarded this same portrait hole when they were Head Boy and Girl."

_Oh **shit**,_ Hermione thought. _It makes total sense. All of this. The strange attraction between me and Malfoy. It's **us**. I'm the Gryffindor and he's the Slytherin. **We** have to fulfill the prophecy._

"Um, Miss Elvira," Hermione began, trying to sound carefree and offhand, even though her true feelings were _quite_ the opposite, "Do you know exactly what has to be _done_, for the prophecy to be fulfilled?"

"Ahh, on the last night before the due, the two must share an intimate act. It doesn't necessarily have to be _completely_ physical," Elvira said with a strange look in her eye, "Why, Taryn and Luke fulfilled it that night with a kiss."

Hermione nodded, remembering the dream she'd had. She wanted to think all of it over, and therefore excused herself.

"_Infinigus_," she said, after saying goodbye to Elvira.

Hermione walked into the common room and immediately saw Malfoy laying on the couch, one arm behind his head and the other holding up a book. She threw one glance in his general direction before going into her room. She shut the door sharply, hoping it cemented her wish not to talk with him. It was bad enough they'd had that terrible row at the willow the night before, but now she knew that _they_ had to fulfill the prophecy. She shook her head; she didn't want to be part of it! She _hated_ Malfoy with a sickening passion... didn't she?

Remembering she had to meet her friends, she quickly changed out of her uniform and into a pair of hip-hugging, low-slung, boot-cut jeans, and a large gray sweatshirt with the Muggle brand "Old Navy" printed across it in navy blue letters. She slipped on a pair of Nikes (Muggle running shoes), pulled her hair into a messy bun, freshened up her make-up, and made sure her wand was tucked securely in her pocket. She left her room and was almost to the portrait hole when she heard Malfoy say something.

"What?" She questioned, turning around and facing him, her eyes burning with that same anger.

"I said," he began, putting the book down, "Is that _Mudbloods_ never learn."  
"And what haven't I learned, Mr. High and Mighty Pureblood?" She questioned, looking at him with intense hate.

He got up and sauntered over to her, his hands in his pocket.

"You haven't learned that appearances can be deceiving."

"And who is deceiving me?"  
"Who do you think?"

She shook her head, "Gods, Malfoy, when the hell are you going to stop buggering me about Xander? He's _fine_."

He raised an eyebrow at her, looking down at her closely. Her heart started to race rapidly, but she didn't let him see any of her discomfort.

"Do you really think there's something there?" He questioned, "If you do, you're more naive than I thought."

"Shove off, Malfoy," she said, "You wouldn't know caring or feeling if it punched you in the face."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong, Granger," he said, "Very wrong."

"Oh yeah?" She hissed, getting right up into his face, their noses and lips almost touching, "Prove it, pureblood."

She glared at him for a moment longer, feeling something like a cosmic force wanting her to kiss him, but she fought against it, turning away and leaving the common room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione arrived in the Entrance Hall to find her friends already there.

"Sorry I'm late, you guys," she apologized upon reaching the group.

"No problem," Harry replied, draping a friendly arm around his tired looking best friend, "Have another row with Malfoy?"  
Hermione sighed, "Yeah," she admitted, "But it wasn't terrible."

Harry nodded as Ron spoke up, "If that prat does anything unusually cruel, let us know and we'll take care of it for you."

Hermione nodded with a smiled, putting an arm around Ron's back, her two best friends on either side of her, "Did I ever tell you guys how awesome you are?" She asked.

Ron put his arm around her, and the Golden Trio walked to the lake with the other three friends, "I think you mention once a year or so, so you're due."

Hermione laughed, "Well, you guys are awesome."  
"You are too, 'Mione," Harry replied as they reached the edge of the lake.

The group settled under a tree about twenty feet from the edge of the lake, deciding what they should do. Seamus produced a smaller version of a Quaffle and suggested he and Ron toss it over the lake. Ron agreed and Hermione shook her head at the childish game they'd come up with. But nonetheless, Ron ran to one side of the lake, and Seamus to the other, Parvati and Lavender moving closer to the water to watch. The two boys threw with all their might to make sure the Quaffle didn't land in the water.

Hermione lay on her back in the grass, her knees up and her arms crossed. She stared at the some of the stars that were slowly becoming visible as the sun slowly faded down past the horizon.

Harry scooted over and lay next to her, his hands behind his head.

"What's up, 'Mione?" He asked in a quiet voice.

She looked at him before turning back to the stars, "Nothing, Harry, why?"

"Because you haven't been yourself in about a month. You're not eating, you barely last twelve seconds without daydreaming—what's up?"

She sighed, deciding she would explain it to Harry, just without the intimate details (such as the fact that the man she was conflicted about was Malfoy).

"Well, there's this guy," she began, and Harry broke into a large grin.

"What?" She asked, looking puzzled at his reaction.

"I _knew_ it was a guy who had you down, Hermione," he said, before clearing his throat, "Go on."

"Well," she said, "We don't get along at all sometimes, but at times we flirt up a storm, and then.."

"You snogged a couple times, didn't you?" Harry asked with a curious glint in his green eyes.

"Harry Potter, I sometimes wonder if you aren't a mind reader," she exclaimed with a smile.

He smirked, "I know you, Hermione, that's all."

There was a short pause before he bumped her arm gently with his shoulder, "Go on," he said.

"Well, we _did_ snog, twice, and then he started getting really jealous about me hanging out with Xander."

Harry listened attentively, his brows furrowed in contemplation and attentiveness.

"We got in a huge row the other night, and now it's just back to us not getting along. I don't know, it just... I kind of liked things the way they were _before_ we got into a fight, you know?"

Hermione casually left out the fact that they were to fulfill the prophecy, considering Harry would have easily guessed the true identity of the man in her story had she mentioned that.

Harry lay still for a while, looking up at the stars, with Hermione anxiously waiting for his advice.

"Well, 'Mione," he said, "I say if you really want him and the things he brought when you two got along together, I say you go for it—be with him, and make it work."

Hermione wanted to object, telling Harry "His father's evil! He's a Slytherin! He's MALFOY!", but she didn't. She smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Harry," she said, "I guess I just needed someone to talk some sense into me."

Harry gave her a warm smile, "Hey, I owe you after six years of coming to _you_ for advice."

Hermione reached over and gave her best friend a big hug.

"I love you, Harry," she said, "You're the best friend I've ever had, and probably every _will_ have."

"I love you too, 'Mione, and Ron loves you," he assured her, patting her back, hoping to take some of her troubles off of her mind, "We'll always be here for you, okay?"  
She nodded, at that moment feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to have two best friends such as Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

x

**A/N:** THEY DO NOT ROMANTICALLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Just so we get that straight; I have a _ton_ of guy friends, and I _always_ tell them I love'em, so make sure you get the idea that they love each other as best friends/practically family. **smiles brightly** Thank you for your time, and MAKE SURE you R&R! :)


	25. Chapter XXIV

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That Saturday morning dawned overcast and dreary; and it just happened to be the day of the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match.

Draco stood in the Slytherin locker room down at the Quidditch field, pulling on his robes for the game. He felt a little bit relaxed, considering his father was on a business trip for two weeks in Egypt (and for once, it wasn't Dark Side business.) There wasn't as much pressure on him as there would be if Lucius were there. However, Draco knew there was still one other person who would be watching him; and he still needed to impress her.

"Come on, D," Blaise said, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Let's go."

Draco nodded, moving away from the window where he was standing, and following his team to the gateways.

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"_WELCOME EVERYONE, TO THE FOURTH QUIDDITCH MATCH OF THE SEASON!"_ Dean Thomas' voice echoed throughout the pitch, the cheers of the students rivaling his volume.

_ "JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE RAVENCLAW CAPTAIN AND CHASER RINA LINNIGUS!"_

The Ravenclaw stands exploded with cheers as their captain flew out onto the field, circled around, and landed. Hermione clapped along with the Gryffindors, albeit not quite as excitedly, considering she knew Slytherin was going to win.

"Not very enthusiastic, are we?" Ron asked with a wry grin.

"There's a good reason too," Seamus added, "We all know Ravenclaw's going to have their bums served to them on a silver platter."

Hermione and her friends couldn't help but laugh at Seamus' bluntness. But it was a fact that in the history of Hogwarts Quidditch, Ravenclaw had **never** beat Slytherin.

"_AND NOW, THE RAVENCLAW TEAM: CHASER WALLS, CHASER JARSTONE, SEEKER VAUGHN, KEEPER BRAWSTRAW, BEATER JULIAN, AND BEATER WINGSTIN!"_

One by one, royal blue specks flew out of the gateways that led to the Ravenclaw locker room. They circled around before landing behind their captain.

_ "NOW JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE SLYTHERIN TEAM CAPTAIN AND SEEKER, DRACO MALFOY!"_

Hermione felt something jump in her stomach, and had a weird feeling that Harry was watching her. She looked out of the corner of her eye, and saw that he was.

Wonder what that's about, she asked herself, but shook it off.

The beginning of the Quidditch match was slightly uneventful; Slytherin scored four times in the time span of ten minutes, Ravenclaw had yet to score.

Hermione was watching Malfoy carefully. His face was far more focused than it had been, and she wondered if he hadn't shrugged her off as "more trouble than she's worth."

Merlin, I really hope not, she told herself, having decided the night before to follow Harry's advice.

Draco, meanwhile, had his eyes peeled for nothing except the Golden Snitch. He had decided to push all of his troubles, including his love-life predicaments, out of his mind.

The rest of the Quidditch match passed by with Slytherin literally creaming Ravenclaw.

_ "SLYTHERIN SCORES, ONE HUNDRED AND TEN TO ZERO!"_

Draco was looking around sharply for any sign of gold. He was getting impatient, knowing he should have caught it already.   
At that moment, a flash of gold flew past him, and he shot after it.

_ "IT LOOKS LIKE SLYTHERIN SEEKER AND CAPTAIN DRACO MALFOY HAS SEEN THE SNITCH!"_

Hermione, along with her friends, leaned forward just in time to—

"_WATCH OUT, MALFOY!"_

At the same second Malfoy caught the Snitch, both Bludgers slammed into him, throwing him to the ground, face up.

"_SEEKER MALFOY HAS BEEN HIT BY **BOTH** BLUDGERS, AND HE'S DOWN!"_ Dean Thomas announced as Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey rushed down to the field, the Slytherin team doing the same. Everyone was on their feet to see Draco laying motionless on the ground.

Hermione watched with her heart in her throat as Blaise took the Snitch out of Malfoy's hand so Professor Snape could conjure up a stretcher. They continued to watch as Professors Snape and McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey made their way back to the school.

_ "SLYTHERIN WINS, TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY TO ZERO!"_

The Slytherins cheered, despite their leader's injury. They cheered in honor of his work in the victory.

Hermione wanted nothing more than to go to the Hospital Wing and make sure he was okay. However, there was no way she could excuse herself from her friends without them becoming suspicious. She sighed, and made her way to the Great Hall for lunch with her friends.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You all right, Hermione?" Ron asked at lunch minutes later, as he watched Hermione push her food around on her plate.

Hermione looked up, "Yeah, just... the way those Bludgers hit Malfoy... if that had been either of you two..."

"No kidding," Ginny agreed, putting her hand in Harry's, "If that had been any of you guys—"

"Those things hit him hard," Seamus conceded, "Swear to God, if he ain't tough enough, they could've broken his back."

Hermione shivered, and Harry put an arm around her shoulder, "It wasn't us, 'Mione—no need to worry."

She nodded, giving him a weak smile. Sure, she really felt like had it been her friends, she would be completely distraught, but she was truly covering for the sick feeling she had in her stomach that Malfoy was laying in the Hospital Wing, and she didn't know how he was doing.

She made it through lunch well enough, and headed back out to the Quidditch pitch with her friends to spend the afternoon playing Quidditch with them (even though in reality, Hermione sat in the stands down on the field because of her terrible fear of heights.)

She sat with her legs crossed and her arms crossed in front of her, watching all of her friends fly around, tossing the Quaffle back and forth and into the goals (Ron practice by playing Keeper).

She was smiling as she saw Harry holding onto the tail of Ginny's broom when Xander walked up.

"'Allo, lass," he greeted her with a smile.

She looked at him, "Hey!" She greeted him, returning the hug he offered, "How have you been?"

"Just chipper," he replied, "And yourself?"

"I can't complain," she told him, "Did you see the match today?"

"Aye, I did," he muttered.

She gave him a sorrowful smile, "I'm sorry you lost."

He looked at her and shrugged it off with a good-natured grin, "Not a problem, lass," he said, "We all went into this knowing we'd lose."

She put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, "Well, don't feel bad; Gryffindor has lost it's fair share of Quidditch matches; to Slytherin and others alike."

He nodded as the Gryffindors descended to the ground and walked over to the two.

"Xander," Harry said, holding out his hand and shaking the Ravenclaw's.

"Harry," Xander greeted with a smile, standing up and shaking his hand.

Ron and Seamus all did the same, greeting him with a handshake and a smile.

Hermione grinned before standing up, "Oh, Xander, these are my other friends, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Ginny Weasley."

He smiled, "Well, I see you pick lovely friends," he stated, taking each of the girl's hands and pressing a kiss to the top of them, "It's a pleasure, ladies."

The three giggled and smiled, "Nice to meet you," they all greeted him.

He stepped back next to Hermione, "And all of you are close friends?" He questioned.

Hermione nodded, "Actually," she said, running her hand through her hair, "Ginny and Harry are dating, as are Ron and Lavender and Seamus and Parvati."

Xander's eyebrows went up, "Well, never would have guessed that. Guess I'm a wee bit late then, ay?"

They all laughed and continued talking for another ten minutes or so. Hermione hardly paid attention, however. Her mind was on a certain platinum blonde who at that moment lay motionless in the Hospital Wing.

After what seemed to Hermione like hours, Harry said, "Well, I guess dinner should be starting soon."

The others nodded, and Xander walked with them back to the castle.

When they reached the Entrance Hall, Hermione bid her goodbyes.

"You're not going to eat?" Harry questioned.

Hermione shook her head, "I'm not hungry, and besides, I haven't started on that essay for McGonagall yet."

"Oohh, Hermione's becoming a procrastinator," Ron said with a sneaky grin, quickly dodging a slap meant for him, "Just kidding, 'Mione, just kidding. We'll see you in the morning."  
She nodded, bidding goodbye to Harry, Ron, Ginny, Lavender, Seamus, Parvati, and Xander.

She got to the common room, passing by the empty portrait of Elvira (Hermione figured she was off visiting another portrait). She made her way through the silent corridors until she reached the large double doors of the Hospital Wing.

Hermione looked through the windows at the top of the doors and saw that no one was in there except Madame Pomfrey.

Hermione opened the doors and walked in quietly, moving to Malfoy's bedside, where she saw that he was awake and talking to Madame Pomfrey.

Madame Pomfrey gave Hermione a withering look before turning her gaze to Malfoy.

He nodded, "It's all right."  
Madame Pomfrey cocked an eyebrow before nodding, "Fifteen minutes, Miss Granger."  
Hermione nodded as Madame Pomfrey bustled off and they heard the sharp sound of her office door shutting.

There was a moment of silence in which he watched her carefully, his sharp, cold gray eyes catching her every move.

Her eyes were downcast, and she turned all of her attention on a specific spot on the floor.

"Listen," she said, pausing to find the words she needed to say what she wanted to say, "Malfoy—"  
"If you're going to apologize or anything of the sort, the least you could do is use my first name," he told her, his gray eyes piercing into hers.

She glared at him, "What should I apologize for?" She questioned.

"Anything you feel you've said or done that wasn't right," he told her, "Or maybe you came to make sure in my 'condition'-" He scoffed, clearly stating that everything Madame Pomfrey was doing was completely unecessary, "-I didn't start telling everyone about everything that's happened between us."

She looked up at his eyes again, and saw them sparking with anger and betrayal. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and felt one drop onto her cheek.

"Or maybe I came to make sure you hadn't died," she said her voice cracking with the pain this was causing her, "To make sure those Bludgers hadn't killed you."

"And what would you have cared?" He spat, "You've already told me you want nothing to do with me, and now you show up here to make sure I'm still alive? And then you have the audacity to tell me to make up my mind, when you can't even make up your own?"

"Will you shut up, Malfoy? I know what's going on," she insisted quietly, not wanting to yell and have Madame Pomfrey come out and insist she leave, "I've made up my mind already, if you'd be quiet long enough to hear it."

"I've heard it already," he told her coldly, "'I want you to just forget everything that's happened between us. It doesn't change anything.' Ring a bell, Hermione?"

"That was before I realized..." she trailed off, crossing her arms in front of her and wiping away some of the traitorous tears that had managed to escape.

"Realized what? That I wasn't just pretending? That I actually cared? I'm not going to play games with you, Hermione—you tell me right here and right now what you really want, and it will end with that," he told her, sitting up in the hospital bed, still clad in his Quidditch robes.

It was at that moment that Hermione Elisabeth Granger realized that Draco Trysten Malfoy had grown from the immature boy he'd been from first year to sixth. In that one second, when he sat forward in the hospital bed, the moonlight that was slowly rising up from the bottom of the window to the top illuminating his pale skin and his platinum blonde hair, his gray eyes like stars in the iridescent light, she realized that they were no longer young children dealing with trivial things. They were adults, dealing with things far more complex: human emotions.

More tears fell onto her cheeks, but she did not openly sob.

"That's just it," she told him, "I don't want it to end. Even twenty-four hours of knowing you hated me again was enough to make me come here and want to set things straight. I don't hate you, Malfoy; I haven't since the beginning of the year, and it wasn't even hate at that point..."

She moved to the window next to his bed, only about two feet separating his shoulder from her side, "Well?" He said, waiting for her to continue, amazed at how the moonlight made her look even more beautiful; the only thing marring the beauty was the tears on her face.

"I admit it, Malf--Draco," she corrected herself, her voice barely above a whisper, "I was immediately attracted to you the first day back. Especially considering you'd kissed me during the battle."

"So, why did you get all pissed off at me for trying to tell you how I felt?" He questioned, a little anger still welled up inside of him.

She turned angry, tear-filled eyes at him, "Because everything you said to me that night about my insecurities...damnit, Malfoy, they were true, all right?"  
At this point, he could see she was getting angry because she knew what he'd said was right.

"So," he said, "The brave, lion-hearted Gryffindor is scared?"

She glared at him, "Don't you dare taunt me, Malfoy."

"So what exactly are you afraid of," he questioned, turning slightly to face her, "Me?"

She shook her head, "Not really you," she said, "the prospect that if I let myself fall for you, you'll have power."

"Over you," he finished for her.

She nodded sadly.

He suddenly, in that moment, began to understand the inner workings of Hermione Elisabeth Granger. She was scared of being caught in a corner with no way out. He could understand why she feared that; after all she'd been through in six years of her life, she'd always had someone there to save her; someone she trusted to protect her: Potter, or Weasley—but now she was going to put her trust in the one person she never thought she'd trust to save her; her worst enemy.

"Potter and Weasley have always been there to protect you," he told her, his voice low and deep, "And now someone else is asking for that; the chance to have you for his own."

"I'm no one's possession, Malfoy," she told him, turning to face him again.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, his gray eyes staring deep into her brown ones...


	26. Chapter XXV

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

...She stared at him, wondering what he was going to do. She felt her heart jump into her throat once more. She was just about to say something when his hand moved from her arm around her waist, instantly pressing their lips together. She nearly gasped with shock, but quickly put her arms around his neck, letting herself sink into the kiss. His lips danced with hers, his hands on her back. She felt butterflies in her stomach, his strong masculine arms wrapping around her.

She pulled away, desperate for oxygen, but still wanting to be close to him. She pressed her forehead to his and looked at him.

"So," she said softly, "What now?"

He smirked, "Well, I think now we prepare for all the talk that's going to be going around the school about us."

Her small smile faded slightly, "Listen, Draco—"

"Time's up, Miss Granger," Madame Pomfrey called as she walked out of her office, only a few feet away.

Hermione quickly pulled away from him, and he swung his feet back onto the bed.

"Right," Hermione said, "When is he going to be out, Madame Pomfrey?"

The nurse looked at Hermione, and then inspected Malfoy with a keen eye, "I expect he'll be out tomorrow morning," she replied.

Hermione nodded, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Malfoy."  
He nodded, understanding that until they discussed things more, they were to continue putting on the act that they disliked each other.

She left the Hospital Wing and decided she needed to have a talk with all of her friends.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room later that night when only Ron, Harry, Lavender, Ginny, Parvati and Seamus were there.

"Hey, 'Mione," they all greeted her as they sat around the fire.

She couldn't smile because she feared their reactions to what she was about to tell them, "Hello," she greeted them, sitting down on the floor in front of the couch and chairs they'd pulled in front of the fire.

Harry and Ron looked at her quizzically, "What's wrong, 'Mione?"

She paused, rubbing her hands on the thighs of her jeans, "Well," she began, her voice shaking so obviously that all six of her friends exchanged worried glances, "I... well I need to d-discuss something with all of you."

They nodded, sitting straighter and waiting to hear what had shaken their friend up so badly.

"Well, I guess I should start at the very beginning," she began, but Ron interrupted her.

"That's always a good place," he told her with a joking smile.

She nodded with a weak grin, but still couldn't calm herself down, "I need to ask one favor of all of you," she said.

"Anything," Harry responded immediately.

She sighed, pulling out her wand, "I need you all to stay completely silent until I finish everything—"

"Silencio!" She said, pointing to all of them. They were shocked that she'd taking these measures, but obviously could not verbally object.

She pocketed her wand, "I'm sorry I have to be so extreme, but you, Ron, are notorious for angry outbursts."  
He blushed sheepishly as she began.

"Do you all remember last year, at the battle?"  
The six Gryffindors nodded grimly.

"Well, umm... Harry, more specifically, do you remember when you saw Malfoy had cornered me against a tree and you hexed him?"

Harry nodded.

Hermione's voice continued to shake, "Well, umm... he hadn't exactly cornered me... he was..." she paused, taking a breath, "Well, believe it or not, only seconds earlier, he'd...he'd kissed me."

The expressions on their faces were enough to make anyone break out into hysterical laughter. All of their mouths formed immediate "O's" and they gave her looks of disbelief.

"Yeah, believe it or not he kissed me," she said, laughing nervously, "Anyway, ever since we came back this year, he's been remarkably civil—no insults I've never heard before," she paused again, taking a breath, "But after the whole prophecy thing came up...well... things started happening."

Ron and Seamus gave her puzzled looks while the other four seemed to have an idea of what she was talking about.

"He started offering me 'power' and 'money', and you guys know I don't have anything to do with that," she said, and they nodded, "And then he started offering me happiness... and... that's... well, that's when things changed."

She paused, needing a moment to think of how to tell them the next part.

"Well, I'm not going to lie to you guys," Hermione said, "And Harry, all of this will make sense to you now," He nodded, waiting, "Malfoy and I have snogged twice."

Ron's mouth started moving at an alarming speed, and Hermione was ever grateful she'd silenced him.

"Listen, Ron!" She asked, "There was nothing we could do about it—it was like this... this cosmic force or something was pushing us together. I swear to the Gods, I haven't slept with him or anything...but I'm being completely honest with you, since I've researched some things, I'm pretty sure Malfoy and I are the ones who have to fulfill the prophecy."

In one split second, every angry emotion in each of their faces died away. It was then that they realized if Hermione and Malfoy didn't fulfill the prophecy, they would die (not that losing Malfoy would be a terrible thing.)

"Now, I'm going to take the charm off of you, but all of you have to promise you won't storm off," she said.

They all shook their heads (Ron, albeit, reluctantly). With a wave of her wand, they could speak again.

"Hermione, was Malfoy the one you were telling me about?" Harry asked.

She nodded, and he smirked, "I knew it. I knew it. Today, at the Quidditch match—the expression on your face when he got hit."

"Hold on just one bloody minute," Ron said, "You're telling me you actually like this git?"

Hermione shrugged, "I mean, a year ago I didn't at all, but now with the prophecy and all..."

"Are you telling me that this fate thing has made you fall for Malfoy? What if after it's fulfilled, you don't like him anymore?"

"I doubt it, Ron," she said, "Because the last two that fulfilled it got married."

Ron's eyes became the size of platters, "You're kidding."

She shook her head.

"So what now?" Ginny asked, being the only one besides Ron and Harry to have spoken yet.

"Well, he wants the entire school to know," she admitted, "I guess that we're to be 'an item' or whatever..."

"But?" Harry quipped.

"But, we haven't discussed a lot of things that we need to," Hermione said, "Like my have no tolerance to him trying to curse or hex any of you."

Ron smiled, but she looked at him, "But I won't have any tolerance for you guys doing anything to him either."

"What about in a Quidditch match?" Seamus asked, finally speaking up.

"Well, I have no control over that, do I?" She asked.

Ron wrinkled his nose, "'Mione, you're not going to be all over him in public, are you?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Ronald Weasley, do you really think that I would do something like that?"

He thought for a moment, "No, not really."

"What about his dad?" Harry asked.

She shrugged, "That's his department. Mine was you guys. And I must say, you're all taking it rather well."

"Well, 'Mione, considering this prophecy could kill you if you don't fulfill it, we don't have much choice in the matter," Lavender said quietly. She elbowed Ron, and he nodded reluctantly again.

"I don't like it at all, 'Mione—in fact, had it not been Fate's decision, I probably would have been out of here already," he admitted, "But—since neither of you have any control over it—"

"Yes, and now," Parvati interrupted with a smile, "We finally see who has won the war: Hermione, isn't Malfoy hot?"

She rolled her eyes, "Damn near gorgeous," she admitted.

Parvati laughed and looked at the three boys, "Looks like you guys lost!"

Hermione laughed as she got up and all seven of them hugged, "Thank you guys so much for understanding," she said, tears flooding her eyes.

"Would we be good friends if we didn't?" Harry questioned, and the others made murmurs of agreement.

"No, I suppose not, but you guys had every right to hate me, and you didn't."

They were just about to reply when Seamus' muffled voice could be heard.

"Cripes, I'm being squished!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day passed quickly—Malfoy was released from the Hospital Wing, but couldn't seem to find Hermione anywhere, considering she was holed up in the library with the prefects, discussing the Christmas Ball.

He was just walking back from the Slytherin dungeons, having informed Blaise, Ivan, Mikail, and Devin of what was going on. They took it amazingly well, congratulating him over getting such a "hot young lady."

"Ohhh Draco, there you are!" Pansy purred, coming up beside him and putting her arm through his, "I was so worried when you were hurt yesterday—"

"I'll bet," he replied dully, not in the mood to put up with her childish games.

"Well anyways, I wanted to know if you'd be interested in going to the Christmas Ball with me??" She gave him puppy-dog eye that disgusted him to no end.

"Umm, no, Pansy, I'm not even sure I will be going," he informed her.

Her face fell and returned to the look of a pug that it always had, "Oh. Well, if you change your mind.." she let the sentence hang as she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, him shuddering at the gesture.

"Bye, Draco!" She called as she made her way back to the dungeons.

He shook his head in disgust as he looked at his watch, learning it was eight-thirty already.

He made his way to the common room portrait.

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy," Elvira said.

"'Evening, Miss Elvira," he told her.

She smiled at him, "How have you been doing?"  
"All right," he replied, "And you?"

She shrugged, "Just busy catching up on all the gossip about this prophecy."

Upon hearing the word prophecy, his head jerked up, "You know about the prophecy?"  
"Well of course," she said, "I was here the last time it was fulfilled."

He stood for a moment, "You knew the two who fulfilled it last time?"

She nodded, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I do. I guarded this portrait hole for them just as I have for you."

At that moment, it felt like a ton of bricks had fallen onto him. Draco Malfoy understood exactly what had been going on that year. Every one hundred years, the man and woman who stepped through that Heads Dormitory portrait hole were the ones to fulfill the prophecy.

He paused a moment before nodding, "I see. Thank you, Miss Elvira," he told her, "Infinigus."

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Malfoy," she replied with an all-knowing smile.

He walked into the common room and saw that Hermione was not there, nor was her light on in her room.

He stood, puzzled for a moment at where she was. He shook it off, walking into his room and to the window to open it.

It was then that he saw a small figure laying under a tree near the lake. And he knew exactly who that small figure was.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione lay in the cool grass, thankful she'd worn her gray American Eagle hooded sweatshirt, considering the wind was rather brisk. She caught a leaf that fell from the branches above her, and twirled it around before noticing a caterpillar was crawling onto her hand.

She brushed it off, pulled her knees up so her feet were on the ground, wiping her hand on her jeans in hopes of ridding the feeling of the bug crawling on her.

Malfoy approached her in the quickly fading sunlight, smirking at how comfortable she looked in her sweatshirt, jeans, and running shoes.

"Comfortable?" He questioned.

She didn't look up, knowing exactly who it was that was talking to her, "Yes, actually."  
He smirked as she moved over, allowing him to lay down on his back, some of the ground already warmed from where she'd been laying.

They stared up as the stars began to come out, one by one, twinkling their presence in the disappearing sunlight.

"We need to talk about some things," he said at last, his voice very low, so as not to disrupt the quiet of the night too much.

Hermione nodded, turning her head to look at him, "Yeah, we do. I already spoke with Harry and Ron and all them."

He nodded, "I spoke with Blaise and Ivan and the lot."

"And?" She questioned.

He smirked, "No, you go first. My crew isn't the type to tear your head off; yours is."  
She rolled her eyes with a smile, "Well, they weren't pleased about it at all—" she paused, "Well, Ron, Harry and Seamus weren't pleased about it at all, but the girls were."

Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

She nodded, "I'd better explain."

"Oh yes, you'd better," he said with a smirk.

She looked back up at the sky, "Well, at the beginning of the year, Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny saw what you looked like now, and from then on it's been an ongoing feud between the boys and those girls. The girls say you're drop dead gorgeous, and the boys, obviously, do not think that."  
Malfoy couldn't contain the laughter at the expressions Hermione made when she told the story, "And I'm guessing you were the deciding vote?"  
Hermione blushed a little, "Yeah, I was."

"And?" He quipped, pulling down the sleeves of his black turtleneck sweater.

"Well, in the beginning I helped the boys win," she said, "But as of late—"

"The girls have been winning?" Malfoy guessed.

She nodded sheepishly, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Why so ashamed?"

She shrugged, "Because I never thought I'd be saying to anyone that Draco Malfoy was gorgeous."

"Well, you wouldn't have to say it much—it is common known fact," he smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Confident, or cocky?" She questioned.

He gave her another smirk, "Both."  
There was a couple minutes of silence as they watched the last of the sun disappear over the horizon, and the light of the moon slowly growing more powerful.

"What about the Power House of Slytherin?" She finally questioned, "How did they take it?"

He couldn't suppress the smile on his face, "Well," he said, sliding his left hand over to her right hand, and linking their fingers together, "They congratulated me on securing such a 'hot young lady.'"

Hermione's eyebrows went up and she started laughing, "Are you being serious?"

He looked at her, "Does this look like the face of someone who would joke around?"  
She looked at him before smiling, "Well..."

"Don't answer that," he told her, looking back at the sky, a smile still tugging at the corner of his mouth.

There were more seconds of silence, both of them basking in the coolness of the early December evening. Remarkably enough, they hadn't seen any snow yet.

Hermione listened to the water of the lake gently swishing against the shores of it, and it calmed her.

"You know," she said, "If we're going to actually be in a true relationship, we have to sort a few things out," she said, her eyes still at the sky.

He looked over at her, some of his silvery-blonde hair falling over his forehead, "Like what?"

She sighed, "Well, like for one, you can't get insanely jealous if I hug Ron or Harry or Seamus or—"

"—Xander?" Draco said, his voice suddenly getting guarded as he turned to look back at the sky.

She looked at him, taking in his profile, "Yes," she said, "They are my friends, and you can't get jealous over that."

He opened his mouth to object, turning to look at her, but she shook her head.

"You have to trust that the reason I'm with you is because I want to be. Just because I hug other guys does not mean I'm saying you're not good enough and I want someone else, all right?"

He nodded, "Fine."

She nodded as well, turning back to face the sky.

"If that's fair, then you can't spend weekends holed up in the library with your books and homework," he said, "You have something else to fit into your schedule now."

She looked at him, and saw he was looking at her. She smiled and nodded.

"All right," she agreed, "But don't expect me to drop my friends and spend every waking minute with you."

"Who told you I was expecting that?" He questioned, "I'm going to be spending time with my friends too—plus Quidditch."

"No hexing or cursing or fighting with Ron and Harry."

"As long as they—"

"I already told them."

"All right. I'll try."

There was a pause, and Hermione let out a long breath.

"What about your dad?"

Draco's mouth opened, then closed again. What was he going to do about his father? His father wanted him to marry a pureblood, heired to a life of wealth and power. Hermione was none of those, but she was intelligent, charming, regal... but Draco knew that wouldn't be enough for his father.

"Well," he said, "If he finds out, he finds out."

She raised her eyebrows, "You're willing to incur the wrath of your dad over something like this?"  
He shrugged, "It's getting to the point where Lucius understands that I'm becoming a man and I can decide where I want to go in my life."

She opened her mouth to object, but he reached up and silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"I'll wait until after Christmas, then we'll deal with it."

She nodded as he removed his finger and replaced it with his lips on hers. She welcomed them graciously, smiling against them.

When they broke apart for oxygen and opened their eyes, they realized it was...

"Snowing," she said with a grin, holding her hand out to catch the falling white flakes.

"We'd better get inside," he said, standing up and offering her his hand.

She took it, and they walked back up to the castle together, never knowing that a figure had been hiding in the branches of that tree, and had overheard everything they'd said.

"Smile while you can, Malfoy," it hissed angrily, "Soon you won't be smiling—you'll be screaming."

And with that, the figure jumped down from the tree and into the woods.


	27. Chapter XXVI

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

**WARNING:** Immense amounts of fluff and stuff in this chapter—this one is definitely rated PG 13, probably bordering R (mention of sexual acts, but they are NOT described!)  
Another Note: There are pieces of _The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet_ in this chapter—I DO NOT OWN ROMEO AND JULIET! The awe-inspiring mind of William Shakespeare does! I just changed a few things (NAMES in different parts...you'll see)

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Christmas was coming fast for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was the second week of December, and by now everyone in the school, at one time or another, had seen the Head Boy and Girl walk down the hall, hand in hand.

"Do you think they're the ones for the prophecy?"  
"Can you believe they used to be enemies?"

"He's so gorgeous—why couldn't he have chosen me?"

"She's changed a lot—maybe enough to finally catch him!"

Whispers followed the two anywhere they went, but Draco and Hermione didn't mind—much.

Xander continued to be one of Hermione's close friends, much to Draco's displeasure. Despite his promise to Hermione not to get jealous, at times he couldn't help it. He still didn't like Xander; he didn't trust those green eyes, nor what was behind them.

The only true place they found solitude was in the Heads Dormitory, or in their respective house dormitories. Hermione spent a lot of time with her friends, ironically discussing the careers they wanted to take after they completed school.

"Auror," Harry had immediately replied. No one was surprised, considering his long and distinguished past.

"I really just want to be a homemaker, like Mum," Ginny informed them. Hermione completely understood that; Ginny was like a younger version of Mrs. Weasley; whenever someone was hurt or sick, Ginny was immediately there taking care of them.

"What about you, Ron?" Hermione questioned as they lounged around the Gryffindor common room that day, all seven of them sprawled on chairs and loveseats.

"I've been looking into being an Auror as well," he admitted, "I mean, damn, we've had enough experience just being friends with Harry," he gave his best friend a grin. Harry returned the gesture.

"Come on, 'Mione, you can't tell me you aren't interested in being an Auror either?" Ron questioned.

She shook her head, "No, I am interested: that's number one on my lists."

"What's number two, librarian?" Seamus cracked, immediately being hit in the head with a pillow.

"Oy! That is not Head Girl behavior Miss Granger," he said, receiving another pillow in the stomach.

"That's mature," he grumbled.

The six others laughed at the sight of Seamus pouting on the loveseat next to Parvati.

"What about you, Lav?" Ginny questioned, after establishing that the Golden Trio all wanted to be Aurors.

"Well, I wouldn't mind working in the Muggle Relations department of the Ministry," Lavender admitted.

"That's a good department," Ron said, sitting back and taking her hand in his, "Lot of good people, Dad says."

"Well, while you three go and fight evil and Lavender promotes good relations, I want to work for Witch Weekly," Parvati said, and glared at the boys when all three of them snorted.

"What?" She asked.

Harry shook his head, "Nothin, it's just we've bet since first year that that's what you'd end up doing."

Parvati shrugged, "Well, I'm not about to work for the Quibbler or the Daily Prophet."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

She shrugged again, "Too boring."  
The friends couldn't help but laugh again, considering anything that didn't deal with celebrities or fashion bored Parvati.

As the others kept talking, Hermione's mind wandered. Draco was no longer a Death Eater or would-be Death Eater... what would he do with his life after Hogwarts? She doubted he would become an Auror, and she doubted he would work entirely for the Ministry. She tucked that question in the back of her mind for the next time they had a good conversation.

"Hey, 'Mione, any clue what Ferret Boy's gonna do?" Ron questioned, having become accustomed to nodding greetings at Malfoy whenever necessary (Draco, of course, did the same).

She shrugged, running a hand through her loose, curly hair, "I don't know; we haven't talked about that."

The others accepted this answer, but Hermione couldn't help but continue to wonder.

After bidding her goodbyes, Hermione left the Gryffindor common room, heading for hers.The realization of life had hit her hard that night; seventh year of Hogwarts was almost over—what would happen then? She and Draco were still new and somewhat naive about their relationship; would it just end after graduation?

She reached the portrait, giving a half-asleep Elvira the password. The portrait hole opened, and Hermione stepped into the common room and found Draco lounging on one of the couches in a pair of black pajama pants and a black wifebeater. She was suddenly glad she could now openly admire him.

"Hey," he greeted her with a smile, looking up momentarily from his book.

"Hey," she replied, returning the smile. She dropped her bag by the door and went into her room to change out of her school uniform. She pulled on a pair of black pajama shorts and a crimson tank top. She ran her fingers through her naturally wavy hair and applied some vanilla chapstick to her lips.

She returned in the common room to see he hadn't moved. She picked up her bag and moved to the table.

"What're you doing?" He questioned, looking up from the book once more.

"Homework, Mr. Malfoy," she informed him, crossing to her room to get one of her books.

He raised an eyebrow—she was doing homework for a class she wouldn't have for another week?

She re-entered the common room with the book, crossing in front of the couch in which he was sitting.

In one smooth movement he took hold of one of her arms and pulled her down into his lap.

She was shocked, but didn't say anything until she realized he'd done this intentionally.

She put the book on the table in front of them and then sat back, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Hey," she said, with a grin after breaking apart.

He raised an eyebrow, "I thought we'd already greeted each other?"

She shrugged with a smile, "Maybe, but I hadn't had a chance to greet you properly."

He nodded in understanding, "Well then, allow me to do the same."

He pressed his lips to hers again, tasting the vanilla on her lips as his tongue darted to the seam of them, requesting entrance. She gladly obliged.

"Are you spending tonight with me?" He questioned against her lips. Hermione had told him in the beginning that she was chaste and wished to stay that way until she found someone she wanted to be with. He respected her immensley for having decided that, considering he'd been raised in a house where all of the girls were there for the men to use; they were nothing more.

So, rather than Hermione's decision halting their relationship, they decided they could spend the night in each others rooms, but nothing more than...ehhmm... minor clothing could be removed (Hermione had laughed when he'd come up with that solution.)

She looked at him, "If you want me to," she replied. She knew how he liked his solitude, and she respected it.

He pressed a kiss to her lips, "Would I have asked if I didn't want you to?" He questioned.

She smirked, "I suppose not," she looked at the page he was reading and raised an eyebrow.

"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? I thought you'd finished that ages ago!" She said, resting her head on his shoulder, his hand landing just above her knee.

He shrugged, "It's one of my favorites."

"Because they both die at the end? How romantic, Dray," she said with a roll of her eyes.

He looked at her with a smirk, "No, because they go against everything for something they're not even sure will work."

She raised her eyebrows, "Well well, how interesting."

He nodded with a smile as she put her head back on his shoulder.

"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;  
Thou art thyself, though not a Malfoy.  
What's Malfoy? It is nor hand, nor foot,  
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part  
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!  
What's in a name? That which we call a rose  
By any other name would smell as sweet;  
So Draco would, were he not Draco call'd,  
Retain that dear perfection which he owes  
Without that title. Draco, doff thy name,  
And for that name which is no part of thee  
Take all myself," she recited, replacing 'Montague' and 'Romeo' with his name.

He smirked at her, "All from memory?"  
She shrugged, "I had very uneventful summers over the years," she admitted.

"I take thee at thy word:  
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;  
Henceforth I never will be Draco," he said, looking at her while reciting this. She looked into his gray eyes, feeling like she was sinking into them. He had that affect on her, somehow. She skipped ahead in the dialogue of the scene, placing her hand on his shoulder and resting her chin on it.

"I should have been more strange, I must confess,  
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,  
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,  
And not impute this yielding to light love,  
Which the dark night hath so discovered," she replied, her voice a very low whisper.

"Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear  
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--," he began, fully knowing she was going to interrupt him.

"O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,  
That monthly changes in her circled orb,  
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable," she interrupted, moving so she sat completely on his lap, her arms around his neck.

"What shall I swear by?" He questioned, his voice low and somewhat husky.

She smirked and got up, moving to her bedroom door, fully knowing it would tease him.

"Do not swear at all;  
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,  
Which is the god of my idolatry,  
And I'll believe thee," she said, turning around to open her door when she felt arms around her waist, a strong torso behind her.

"If my heart's dear love--," he whispered, his voice even more husky than before. She turned around, his arms going around her, his gray eyes staring down into her brown ones. She felt like he was reading her very soul; those powerful pools of melted steel learning every hidden fear, every dream, every memory...

"Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee,  
I have no joy of this contract to-night—" she said, but was cut off by his lips, powerfully crushing hers with a need that seemed indescribable to both of them. She kissed back with the same intensity, her arms going around his neck as he lifted her, bringing her to his room; the ever-present chilliness of this area of the tower hitting her back as he opened the door, their lips never separating from each others as he brought them in, shutting the door with a sharp _snap_. She was amazed at how easily he held her; then again, as she ran her hands down his biceps, she realized _why_ it was so easy for him to hold her.  
He lowered her onto his black and emerald silk-sheeted bed, his hand running through her hair. She opened her mouth as his tongue requested entrance, feeling warmth spread throughout her entire body.  
Due to the lack of oxygen, he pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes, his hand brushing at her curly hair, moving it away from her face.  
"You are so...beautiful," he said, still catching his breath.  
She smiled, "I never thought I'd live to hear you say that," she admitted.  
He smirked, "Neither did I," he told her, pressing his lips to hers again, not being able to get enough of her. She was like fire in his arms; fire he needed to survive. She was the air he needed to breathe; the nourishment he needed to live.  
She moaned into his mouth, sending him nearly over the edge. Her skin was like fire on his, burning, but tempting; he'd never felt so many conflicting emotions at one time, and it was a little intimidating.  
She felt his arms holding her close to his body, and she felt like the most adored creature in the world. He made her feel everything that no one else had, and she had to voice it.  
"You're amazing," she told him as he pulled away from her, letting both of them breathe again.  
"How?" He asked, watching her brown eyes close in an attempt to regain her breath, her ruby lips swollen and puffy from his intense kisses.  
"I don't know, but..." she trailed off, "You make so many things happen to me at once it's almost incomprehensible."  
He smiled at her, "I know how you feel," he told her, "You do the same thing to me."  
She smiled, "Listen to me," she said, putting her hands on his face, her thumbs gently caressing his face. His gray eyes watched her carefully, prepared to listen to what she had to say.  
"No one," she whispered, "Will _ever_ bring those feelings to me like you do," she said. He looked at her questioningly.  
"I know you've been getting jealous over mine and Xander's relationship; I see the look in your eyes whenever he hugs me," Draco rolled his gray eyes, prepared to deny it, but she brought his lips to hers, pressing a kiss to them before looking at him again, "It's _you_, Dray; it always will be you, all right?"  
He nodded, smirking at her as he kissed her again, trailing kisses from her mouth, down her chin, to her neck. She tangled one of her hands into his silky, silvery-blonde hair. Her breath came in short puffs.  
"Dray," she said, her voice breathy. There was a long pause before she gained her voice again, making a decision.  
"What?" He asked her, looking up from her neck and deeply into her brown eyes.  
She looked at him squarely, "Swear thy love but physically," she said, using Shakespeare's language, fully knowing he would understand.  
He did.  
His eyes went wide, "Are you sure?" He asked.  
She smirked, "Would I have said anything if I wasn't?" She repeated his former statement.  
He smiled, "All right," he agreed.  
The night was spent in pleasant splendor as Draco Trysten Malfoy and Hermione Elisabeth Granger both learned what true love feels like; for once in their lives.


	28. Chapter XXVII

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and accurate in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

**WARNING:** Quite a bit of fluff in this one! :)

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Hermione awoke at about five-thirty the next morning; the room was dark and she could see it was snowing outside, and yet the windows were shut when she was sure they'd been open last night. She, however, shrugged off the minor detail. She looked down and saw a sinewy, pale arm draped across her waist. The memories of the night before came flooding back to her, bringing a smile to her face as she closed her eyes. She remembered the look of him over her, the intense waves of pleasure he brought to her over and over again, the look on his face as he saw what he did to her; the way he whispered things in her ear...

She shook herself from her dream world as she felt him stir behind her. She didn't move, not wanting to fully wake him. After he settled again, she turned around carefully and lay for a moment, just looking on his face. He was like an angel; her angel. When everything seemed fine to her, he came in and changed it all. He gave her variety in her life; excitement; anxiety... everything she'd always wanted from someone else. The mere thought of him thinking Xander could do better for her made her want to laugh. Yes, Xander was a good person and always friendly towards her, but he wasn't Draco; he never would be.

She smiled as his light gray eyes opened and focused down on her. She ran a hand up and down his side, "Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey," he replied, pressing a kiss to her lips. She smiled against his lips, putting her arm over his side.

"Sleep well?" She asked when they'd broke apart.

He smirked, "Yeah, I suppose. How about you?"

She nodded, "Better than I have in a long time."

He smiled at her, tightening the grip his arm had around her waist. He slid his head along the pillow, letting his cheek rest on her head, inhaling the vanilla scent of her hair. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, holding him close to her.   
The two young star-crossed lovers fell back to sleep for another three hours before they awoke for the day.

Hermione was the first to rise once again, realizing she had half an hour to get dressed, and get down to the Great Hall. Today was the day she had to work with the Gryffindor Chasers on teamwork and strategy, and she didn't want to be late.

She slid out from under his arm carefully and left his room, making her way to the bathroom where she took a quick shower, going to her room and quickly pulling on a pair of jeans, her Nikes, and her gray hooded Old Navy sweatshirt over a plain crimson tee. She didn't bother with extreme make-up—she just put on eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. She pulled the towel off of her hair as she re-entered his room to see he was still in bed.

She ran her fingers through her hair, "Dray," she said, detangling her damp hair with her fingers, "Dray, get up," she repeated.

He groaned and turned over again, realizing she was no longer in the bed beside him.

"Come on," she said, banishing the towel so she could free both hands.

He groaned again, "Come on, 'Mione," he said, "It's not every day I can sleep this well!"

She smirked as she got on the bed on all fours, held her hair back with one hand, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. His hand came to the back of her head, and his tongue quickly darted into her mouth before she pulled back, pressing a much quicker kiss to his mouth.

"If I have my way," she said with a smirk, "You'll be getting a lot more sleep due to much more strenuous activity," she told him.

He raised an eyebrow, "Direct, aren't we?"

"And there's a problem with that?" She asked, before getting up off the bed.

He caught her arm and pulled her back down, pressing a kiss to her lips, tangling his hand in her damp hair, "Going somewhere?" He asked with that deep, seductive voice of his.

She nodded, "I have to work with the Gryffindor Chasers today," she said.

He smirked at her, "You'd rather do that than spend the day with me?"

She looked at him, putting a hand on his face, "Dray, as much as I adore being here with you," she said, rolling free of his grasp and landing on her feet on the floor, "I have to get some work done."

He groaned, getting out of bed himself, clad in only his black pajama pants, his regal and masculine torso perfect with the exception of the black scar on his chest, "All right," he said, "But tonight, you're spending the night with me."

"Is that a request or a command?" She asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"Both," he whispered, giving her a kiss before she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a strong hug. He hugged her back, albeit somewhat confused.

"What was that for?" He asked.

She shrugged, pulling back, "Have a good day, Mr. Malfoy," she told him before leaving his room and entering hers.

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"Ready?" Harry asked as Ron finished eating. He and Hermione had been waiting fifteen minutes for the red-headed boy to finish eating.

He nodded, "Let's go."  
Hermione stood with her friends, pulling on the black leather jacket she'd brought among her Muggle clothes. She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt out and let it lay over the collar of her jacket.

She followed Harry out of the Great Hall, Ron at her side as the two pulled on their gloves. As she donned the black gloves, she shot a look at the Slytherin table and saw Draco was talking to Blaise and Ivan. She bit back a smile as the previous night's activities swarmed through her head. She definitely had to talk to the Gryffindor girls sometime soon.

The Golden Trio arrived on the pitch a few minutes after the Quidditch team had assembled.

"Okay," Harry said, immediately taking command, "Since in the Wizard World we don't have a term for it, we're going to use a Muggle term. Hermione is going to be the "coach" for the Chasers. Riva, Natalie, Jade, I want you to go with her. The rest of you come with me," he said, walking toward the edge of the field, Ron and the others following.

"Hey you guys," Hermione greeted them, knowing Riva, Natalie and Jade very well.

"Hey, Hermione," they greeted her with smiles.

She felt very relaxed, considering she knew these girls and had seen them play, "Well, the reason Harry asked me to help you is not because you're bad players. It's because, while your teamwork has been successful against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, it needs to be much better when you guys play Slytherin, because their Chasers are practically attached at the hip."

The girls, including Hermione laughed at this, knowing full well that Damien Sutherland, Willem Neversen, and Devin Steele knew just how to work together on the field.

"So today we're just going to do some simply teamwork exercises to help you guys think as one, rather than as three."

The girls nodded in understanding.

"Okay, first, I want you guys to stand in a triangle," Hermione instructed, and watched as the girls did as they were told, "Good, now Riva, I want you to take Natalie's hand, and Jade's hand, Natalie, you do the same, Jade, you do the same."

Soon, all three girls' arms were tangle in the center of the triangle.

Hermione stepped back and smirked.

"What?" Natalie asked, somewhat confused as to what Hermione expected of them.

Hermione motioned to the tangle of arms, "Straighten yourself out without letting go of each other's hands."

Their eyes went wide, but they did as they were told. Unknown to them, Hermione was timing them.

After much discussion and "No, the other way!"'s, the girls managed to suceed.

"That took you guys fifteen minutes," Hermione said. She looked at the three, "That's all right for the first time, but we need to get it under a minute."  
Jade's eyes went wide, "You can't be serious!"

"I couldn't be more serious," Hermione said, "We have to get you guys working as a team."

They spent the entire afternoon doing little things that slowly taught the three Gryffindor chasers how to work together and trust each other.

"Okay, let's call it a day!" Harry called.

Hermione was thankful that practice was over; her nose was cold and her cheeks were rosy and pink. She was happy she'd made some improvement in the girls' mindset.

The other team members jogged toward the warmth of the castle, but the Golden Trio walked at a leisurely pace, the fresh snow crunching underneath their feet.

Harry put a friendly arm around Hermione's shoulders, "I saw the change in them today," he said, "I don't know how I'll ever thank you, 'Mione."

She smiled up at her taller friend, enjoying looking into his emerald green eyes, "You don't have to thank me," she said, "I want the Quidditch Cup just as badly as you guys do."

"Yeah," Ron echoed, "Harry, did you hear her at the last couple of Quidditch matches? She was talking about some of the plays that were used!"

Harry's eyebrows went up, "You know some of the Quidditch plays?" He asked.

She shrugged, "A few. But it's no big deal."  
Harry and Ron just smiled at her, "You know," Harry said, "I really hate to admit this," he said, "But I think you being with Malfoy has changed you."

Her brows furrowed, "How?"  
Ron cleared his throat at the uncomfortable topic, "Well, I mean...you know Quidditch plays now..."

"Plus," Harry said, "The fact that you didn't let dating the Power House of Slytherin interfere with House loyalty—it proved a lot, Hermione."

She raised an eyebrow, "What—?"

"You could have easily helped Malfoy with any problems he had on his team, but you didn't. You're helping Gryffindor," Ron explained.

She nodded in understanding, "Well, I'm not about to be happy seeing Slytherin's name on the Cup just because I'm with Draco," she said, "It's our last year here—I want Gryffindor to have it."  
The three smiled as they made their way up to the castle and into the Entrance Hall.

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Classes ended for the students at Hogwarts at the end of the second week in December. There were many festivities planned until after New Years, but yet the teachers had still loaded the students down--particularly the seventh years—with homework.

Hermione decided that afternoon that she would do all of her homework that evening so she would have nothing to worry about until after New Years. She was half-tempted to go to Gryffindor tower and work with the others, but she knew if she did it would be her working and them copying.

So after dinner she bid her friends goodnight and left the Great Hall. She was just leaving the doorway when she saw Xander.

"Hey!" She greeted him with a smile and a hug, "How have you been?"  
He smiled as he embraced her back, "I've been quite well, lass, yourself?"

She nodded, "As best as can be expected. Are classes going all right for you?"

"Yes, they've given us a lot of homework though, so that's not an up point."  
She nodded in agreement.

"Where are you headed this evening?" He questioned.

She pointed toward the stairway, "To the Heads Dorm. I'm going to get all of my homework done so I can enjoy the break."  
He nodded, "Good idea. May I walk you?"

"Sure," she agreed, as the two walked side by side to the stairs.

"So I heard you and Mr.—Malfoy, is it? Have started seeing each other?"  
She nodded with a grin, "Yeah," she confirmed.

"And I was under the impression you two hated each other," he informed her, sounding a little confused.

Hermione nodded, "See, that's the difficult part—we did hate each other, but now..."

He smiled at her, "Oh, I understand. No need to explain."  
She nodded as they reached the portrait of Elvira, "Well, it was good to see you again," Hermione told Xander, hugging him, "I'll see you at Hogsmeade tomorrow?"  
He nodded, "Absolutely. Have a good night, lass."

"You too, Xander."

She watched his retreating form until he went around the corner. She then turned to face Elvira, who had been watching Xander's back as well.

The portrait raised an eyebrow, "Two young men?" She questioned.

Hermione shook her head, "No way. Xander is just my friend."

"Looks like he thinks of you as more," Elvira commented.

Hermione shrugged, "Perhaps, but I'm only interested in Draco."  
Elvira grinned, "Ah yes, I heard about you and Mr. Malfoy. Congratulations, Miss Hermione."

"Thank you, Miss Elvira. Infinigus."

The portrait swung open and Hermione entered an empty common room. She looked at the clock on the mantle, realizing it was only six-thirty; she must have eaten quickly.

She set her bag on one of the couches before entering her room. She went through her evening grooming rituals; washing off her make-up, washing her face with her cleanser, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, and applying her vanilla chapstick to her lips.

She left the bathroom and re-entered her room. She quickly changed into her favorite pair of short black pajama shorts with a white stripe down the side of the legs and a black spaghetti-strap top. She knew Draco's favorite color was black, and she happened to like it as well.

Wow, she thought, suddenly I'm basing my outfits and stuff on **his** likes and dislikes? Could it be that I lo-

"No," she said outloud as she put her hair in French braids, "I don't love him..."

Stop lying to yourself, her mind said, you know you're head over heels in love with him!

She tried to deny it as she rubbed vanilla-scented lotion onto her arms and legs **(A/N:** Sorry to interrupt the flow of the story, but I noticed that Hermione uses an awful lot of vanilla scented/flavored stuff... didn you guys notice that? Sorry if it's boring that she does, but I bought a bottle of Bath and Body Works warm vanilla sugar lotion, AND VANILLA IS MY NEW FAVORITE SCENT! **tee hee hee** don't like it? Pretend her vanilla lotion is something else! Anyway, on with the story...**)**.

The more she argued, the more it made sense. She was in love; she was in love with Draco Malfoy.

But now the thought of seeing him made her a little nervous. She'd seen a lot of girls go crazy over him—he was just hypnotizing like that. She did not want to fall into that trap... then again, she was dating him...

She shook her head free of those thoughts as she emerged from her room. She saw that Draco's door was shut, so she figured he was in there.

She settled on the couch, pulling her History of Magic book onto her lap. She set up her quill and ink on the coffee table, and pulled out a roll of parchment to start on her sixteen inch long essay on Merlin. She was suffering because of her shirking off of homework for Malfoy. She had homework in each subject, and each assignment was an essay of some sort.

She began scribbling away at her essay, writing slightly larger than she usually did, but working just as carefully as always. Half an hour went by with the only noises being heard was her scratching of the quill on the parchment, the crackle of the fire, and the sound of the shower turning on and off. She smiled, knowing for sure that he was there.

She finished her History of Magic essay, rolling up the parchment and starting a pile for books and essays. She moved on to her Charms essay just as Draco made his entrance.

He stood looking at her back for a moment, watching how the firelight flickered off the amber waves of hair that was pulled into intricate braids. He felt his breath catch in his throat momentarily.

"Hey," she greeted him without looking up from her almost-complete Charms essay.

He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her neck.

"Mmm," she said with a smile, tilting her head so it rested against his.

"I missed you today," he informed her, his deep voice resonating in her ears.

She smiled, putting a hand on his face, "I missed you too."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, her vanilla scent invading his senses, making his head swim.

"How do you do that?" He asked, looking at her with intent.

"Do what?" she questioned, her head still turned to look him in the eye as he leaned over the back of the couch.

"Make me lose concentration on everything else," he said smoothly, smiling at her.

She smiled, "I don't know," she admitted, putting a hand on his cheek again, her thumb caressing his pearly skin, "But you do the same to me."


	29. Chapter XXVIII

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** At this point, I have about 17 1/2 pages of notes for the story! I have to warn you though--it's definitely a lot more action and a lil less fluff, but don't worry--Hermione and Draco will get their chances to snog in the new one! tee hee hee Anyway, to prove to you guys how serious I am about this next fic, I plan on starting the first chapter as soon as I finish chapter 32--the final chapter--of this story. There's going to be a lot more stuff going on in the new one--we'll peek in every now and then and see what's happening with Harry and Ron and Ginny--the other main characters--and there's a lot of stuff to do with the Order of the Phoenix--and the damn Ministry of Magic pokes their nose in at Hogwarts in the new story! It's titled **Substitute for Love**--I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date ASAP! If you'd like to be a beta, please send me a separate email at xnegrl80xhotmail.com --I need to get to know you before we start on the new story! I would love to have a beta and maybe also a person I can bounce ideas off of or _ask_ for ideas if I hit a dry spot in the storyline. Please email me if you're interested in that too!! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

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"All right, good," Hermione said after the Chasers completed another exercise that day, "You guys are really getting this!"

The girls beamed with pride as Hermione continued.

"All right, now stand side by side," she instructed.

Riva, Natalie, and Jade did as they were told without question.

Hermione waved her wand and magically tied their legs together.

"What?" Riva questioned, looking at their legs.

"Six legged race," Hermione said with a smile, "You have to use teamwork to move. You need to successfully walk from here to Harry," she said, pointing, "I'll time you from down there. Don't start until I whistle," Hermione said.

She turned and jogged over to where Harry was standing, watching the boys flying around.

Hermione looked at the Muggle stopwatch she'd brought before whistling shrilly.

Harry flinched, "Nice lungs, 'Mione, but I'd like my hearing for another forty or fifty years."

She made a face before bumping him with her shoulder teasingly. They watched as the three girls struggled to make their way across the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione continued watching with a smile and a sharp eye, but didn't notice Blaise coming down to the pitch. She'd been on good terms with Blaise since she and Draco had become an item, so she wasn't bothered when he came up beside her.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?" He questioned, his face serious and grave.

Harry's eyes darted to him, and he knew something was wrong. Hermione looked at Harry, who nodded, "Go ahead," he assured her.

She nodded, allowing Blaise to take her arm and lead her a ways away from Harry.

"Blaise, what is it?" She questioned, her eyes alert at his mournful demeanor.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, "Draco's leaving."

"Why?" She questioned, her eyes wide at hearing of her beau's impending departure.

Blaise put a hand on the back of his neck and raised unhappy eyes to hers, "Hermione, his dad is dead."

Hermione's eyes went wide and she felt the uncomfortable sting of tears creeping into her eyes, "You're kidding!"

Blaise shook his head, "He was attacked along with some of the people he'd brought with him. From what we've heard, it was some Egyptian thieves... they Avada Kedavra'ed him. Draco's got to go to the Manor to help his mother and attend the funeral."  
Hermione's hand went to her mouth. She was speechless—she knew before Draco and his father hadn't been very close, but now...

"Wait here for me," she told him. He nodded as she walked back to Harry.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing the tears in Hermione's eyes.

"M-m..." she cleared her throat, trying desperately to speak.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, putting his hands on her shoulders to steady her, "Take a deep breath—what happened?"

She did as he instructed before spitting out, "Malfoy's dad is dead."  
Harry's eyebrows shot up, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "Blaise told me," she gripped Harry's forearms, "Harry, I have to go to Draco—I have to...—"

Harry rubbed her upper arms, "Yes, yes, go ahead. I'll take care of the girls."  
Hermione smiled weakly, "Thank you—thank you, Harry!"

He pulled her into a hug, "Go to him, 'Mione."

She smiled, and nodded, leaving Harry's arms and moving back to Blaise, who walked with her back up to the castle.

"Where is he, Blaise?" She asked as they entered the Entrance Hall.

"I left to get you while he was with Dumbledore," Blaise said, "I'm guessing he's back in the Heads Dorm."

She nodded, "All right."

"I'm going to go see Snape and inform him," Blaise said, bidding goodbye and heading toward the dungeons.

Hermione pulled off her leather jacket and straightened her black turtleneck sweater. She draped the jacket over her arm, the material flapping against her jeaned thigh.

The only noise resonating through the corridor was the sound of her Nikes hitting the ground with each step.

She ran a hand through her wavy brown hair as she faced Elvira's portrait.

"How is he, Miss Elvira?"  
Elvira looked at her mournfully, "Not very good, my dear."  
Hermione nodded sadly, "Infinigus," she said, and the portrait swung open.

"Good luck, Miss Hermione," Elvira said.

"Thank you, Miss Elvira."

Hermione entered the common room and saw it deserted. She, however, saw movement behind his door.

She dropped her jacket on the couch and made her way to the door.

She opened quietly and saw him putting clothes into his trunk. His expression was unreadable; his mouth was set in a line and his eyes focused on his bureau and then his trunk.

"Dray?" She said, announcing her presence.  
He looked up only for a moment before continuing to pack, "I suppose Blaise ran and got you," he spat bitterly.

His tone of voice shocked her.

"He told me what happened, yes," she admitted, shutting the door behind her.

Draco furiously continued to pack, "Everyone thinks I can't handle this on my own—bloody Dumbledore, offering to accompany me—"

"He's only worrying about you—"

"—I DON'T NEED SOME OLD MAN'S PITY!" Draco yelled, stopping and staring at her, "AND I SURE AS HELL DON'T NEED YOURS!"

Hermione's eyes flared slightly, "I came up here because I was concerned—I wanted to be here for you—"

"I don't need you to tell me everything's going to be okay," he spat.

Hermione's anger began to grow, "Let me help you," she said, not moving—instead, waiting for his reply. He, however, slammed the empty bureau drawer shut.

"I DON'T NEED ANY HELP, GRANGER!" He snarled, referring to her by her surname.

Her eyes shined with tears, but they did not fall, "Draco, I know you're upset—"

"Stop acting as if you understand me," he said coldly, shoving more items into his trunk.

She felt anger burn in her chest, "That's how you deal," she said plainly, " Isn't it? Pushing people who care about you away."

"I SAID STOP ACTING LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"

"I'M NOT ACTING LIKE I UNDERSTAND YOU!"

"SURE, JUST LIKE YOU'RE NOT PITYING ME, RIGHT?"

"THAT'S RIGHT! I DON'T PITY YOU, I CARE!"  
  
"I DON'T NEED A FILTHY MUDBLOOD TO CARE ABOUT ME!"

Her eyes went wide at his final statement, the tears that threatened to fall doing just that.

"_You son of a bitch_!" She cried, attempting to hit him, but he caught her wrists, "I heard about what happened and I couldn't even speak because I couldn't bear to think of you in such pain! In that moment I wanted it to be my father who died, just so you wouldn't have to deal with that heartache! I was willing to do that for YOU! YOU ARROGANT POMPOUS PRAT!" She continued to try and hit him, "AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS REGRESS BACK TO YOUR USUAL TERMS OF ADDRESSING ME, WHEN ALL I'VE DONE FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS IS LOVE YOU!"

She paused in her attempt to harm him when his grip grew stronger, his large, powerful hands holding her wrists.

His eyes glared into hers, "What did you just say?" He asked, his voice becoming emotionless for a moment.

Her tearstreaked face looked to the ground for a moment before looking back into the face she adored, "I said I love you, Draco."

For a moment, his expression was unreadable. She loved him. She loved HIM! Draco Trysten Malfoy, the man that could never be loved by anyone! She couldn't love him.

"You love me?" He questioned.

She paused before nodding, feeling all of her energy drain into the floor.

He let go of her wrists, turning angrily to face his window. She loved him... someone besides his mother loved him. It was hard for him to comprehend, but he knew he loved Hermione too. He loved her, and yet he'd just hurt her with his words of anger and hate. All she wanted to do was be there for him through this, and he was pushing her away. He loved her—the concept was very new to him. But it was a welcomed sort of new. He felt his anger towards her melt away, and his pain and heartache come to the surface.

He knew she was still behind him, probably staring at the floor, her arms crossed in front of her.

He turned around and found that she was standing just as he'd guessed. Had it been a different time and place, this would have brought a smile or at least a smirk to his face.

She looked up as he moved back over to her. There was a moment in which neither could decide what to do. They stood about five inches apart, and the uncertainty was thick between them. Should they apologize? Should she leave? Neither of the two knew what they should do.

In one moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself into his embrace. His arms wrapped around her slim waist protectively, holding her firmly against him. She lay her head on his shoulder, gripping him in a way that made him think of someone protecting something they valued more than their own life. At that moment, he felt an immense wave of...something wash through him, and he felt at that moment that he could trust her. She was holding him as if she never wanted to let go.

She pulled back, looking into his eyes, "I'm sorry," she apologized, her hands on his face, "Draco, I'm so sorry," she said, new tears forming in her eyes.

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked her, his deep baritone voice resonating in her ears, "I should be the one to apologize."

"Draco, I understand—"

"No," he said, his hands rubbing her forearms, "No... Hermione, I'm sorry—I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

She let her thumb caress his cheek, "I know—I know how you deal with things like this. But it's just me you can trust me. You don't have to pretend. I know what happened, and you have to mourn, Dray."

He looked at her and nodded, letting his walls break a little bit, "Can you do something for me?" He questioned.

She looked into his eyes, "Anything," she replied.

He took a deep breath, putting his forehead against hers, her hands falling to his biceps, "Will you...will you say it to me?"

"Say what?" She asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"Tell me that...my dad.." he trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment.

She put her arms back around his neck, holding him close to her, forming a protective shield around him, keeping him from the world. She was protecting him as he caved, showing her the true person inside—not the façade he showed everyone else.

She kept her forehead against his, both of them wanting to be as close as possible, "Draco," she said, her voice quiet and soft, her warm breath hitting his cheek, "Your dad is gone."

Now, Hermione wasn't quite sure if it was relief she saw on his face, or grief, but she knew his features pulled together, and it looked like he was fighting off tears.

"Draco, listen to me," she said, putting her hands on his face and pulling his gaze to meet hers, "You don't have to be tough, Draco. If you need to cry, let it out—everyone cries. It's only me; you don't have to hide from me," she said, tears evident in her voice, "I don't want you to hide from me."

His shoulders shook, and she knew he was sobbing. She pulled him into a hug, his head laying on his shoulder. She felt like the most important person in the world. She was sure no one short of Narcissa Black Malfoy had seen this man cry; but now she was.

His arms were tight around her waist as he mourned; he mourned for the loss of his idol—the one man he'd always looked up to. He was being thrust into the world of adulthood—he needed to look up to himself now. Sure, when his father and he had been under the influence of Voldemort, Draco hadn't had much respect for his father, but once the old, original Lucius Malfoy had returned, Draco began to feel the parental guidance and love come from his father that he hadn't felt since Voldemort took control of their family. They had become a family again, and now his father was gone.

He felt her hand rubbing his back, showing with every little touch that she was there for him; not judging, not poking fun—she was still there, still holding him as he broke down. It was very un-Malfoy like for him to do this; to cave and let her see him cry. But he trusted her, and he knew she would actually think less of him if he didn't stop pretending that it didn't bother him.

They stood there for some time, Hermione holding the man she loved so tightly she didn't think she could hold him any tighter. She tried with every touch and every embrace to show him she was there for him to hold on to as he fell.

It took another couple of minutes, but he eventually lifted his head off of her shoulder and looked at her. His skin was still pearly, but his eyes were a little red, offsetting the gray.

Her eyes widened, and he looked at her strangely.

"I'm sorry," she said, putting her hands on his biceps.

"What is it?" He asked, looking slightly offended.

She gave him a smile, "Nothing," she assured him, " It's just... you have to be the most handsome man I've ever seen," she said softly, blushing a little at her sappiness.

His face relaxed into a small smile as he pulled her into his arms, "Thank you," he whispered in her ear.  
She smiled, pulling her face around to press a gentle kiss to his lips, "You're welcome," she replied against his lips.

His hands pulled her close up to him, his tongue requesting entrance into her mouth, which she readily complied to. They continued to kiss, their bodies saying words that they couldn't. He didn't want to pull away, but he knew he had to—both of them needed oxygen.

He pulled away, looking at her for a long time before she spoke, "Let me prove to you that I love you," she whispered.

He smiled, agreeing with a simple kiss.

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Hermione awoke a while later, laying in nothing but her undershirt, her head resting on his beautifully sculpted chest, her brown sugar and honey colored hair sprawled around her face. She silently thought of the events of that night, and how much she hoped he would make it through the funeral.

She looked up to find him watching her intently, his gray eyes never moving from hers.

"How long have you been up?" She asked, scooting up so her head lay on his shoulder, his chin resting on her head.

"I don't know," he said, fingering the curly locks of her hair.

She lay there, looking onto his god-like, masculine face, taking in every minute detail. She knew if this ended after they left Hogwarts, she'd hold him in a special place in her heart until the day she died.

He continued to watch her, still amazed at her beauty. She was his goddess; his beauty; his lover; his.. friend.

"I love you," he said quietly, his baritone voice sending shivers down her spine.

She smiled contentedly at him, "I love you too," she replied, pressing a kiss to his lips.

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"I'll see you when you get back," she told him, holding him tightly in a hug as he stood outside the school, preparing to climb into an enchanted carriage.

He hugged her back, pressing a kiss to her lips, "I know," he said.

She pulled back before remembering something.

"I have something I want you to have," she said, reaching into her sweatshirt pocket.

He turned back from handing his bags to the coachman, "What is it?" He questioned, looking into her eyes.

She opened her palm and showed him a silver chain with engravings on the links.

"What does it say?" He questioned.

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, clasping the necklace together, "In French, it says 'To the beloved and blessed.' My grandmother gave it to me; it's been in our family for years. It's tradition to pass it on to the person you love. My mother gave it to me before first year," she paused, looking back into his eyes, "I want you to have it."

He smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips, "I love you, 'Mione."

She nodded, "I love you too, Dray."

He pulled her into one last hug, holding her tightly, "You can do this," she whispered encouragingly.

He smiled again before giving her one last look and climbing into the carriage.

Hermione watched until the carriage was no longer visible before turning back to the castle stairs.

Draco sat in the carriage, unconsciously fiddling with the buttons on the cuffs of his Oxford shirt. He had a bad feeling; and the feelings were unnatural, despite the fact that he was off to his father's funeral. He had a feeling something was going to happen; he just wasn't sure what.


	30. Chapter XXIX

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming! To some of you who wonder how I got Draco's appearance so detailed and refined—**_YES_**, I do have a strange fondness for Tom Felton (I wouldn't call it _obsession_) plus, I just imagine what a rich, Quidditch playing bad-boy would look like, and thats what was produced! Hope you like it!  
And, someone mentioned their ages are a bit older than they should be—you'll find out why in this chapter! Look for something about being a specific age **hint--hint **lol

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

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Hermione busied her two days as best she could, working with the Chasers and spending time with her friends. Still, Draco's absence was always felt; every hour of those days.

The second day he was gone was the day of his father's funeral. Hermione had been sitting in his room reading a letter from her parents, curled up with one of his pillows. His scent suffused the room and made her miss him even more.

She was just finishing her parents' letter when a beautiful tawny eagle owl flew in her window, dropped a letter, and flew back out.

Hermione looked at the letter and immediately recognized the scratchy scrawl and the seal on the back of the letter.

She smiled as she opened it and saw the identical scratchy writing.

_Hermione- _

_Father's funeral is this afternoon at one o'clock. Mother is handling it rather well, though I have witnessed her nearly collapse twice. In the company of others, she carries herself normally, but behind closed doors... well, let's just say she's like I was._

_I will be returning at the end of this week, just in time for Christmas. I already have your present, so don't fret, love—I haven't forgotten you._

_I've told Mother about us. She was never the one to have a problem with Muggle-borns, so she was positively thrilled when I told her I'd found someone I loved at school. Father always wanted me to marry Pansy or Marcella Tuft, but Mother wants only the best for me. You are the best, Hermione, so I'm glad to have pleased her._

_Hermione couldn't help but smile at this line—when around others, he was very tough and strong, but when he loved something, he truly cherished and took care of it._

_Please be careful; I have a feeling that something is going to happen—I don't know what it is, but I know it's coming quickly._

_Je t'aime, mon cherie,_

_-D.T.M_

Hermione smiled again. His letter made her get butterflies in her stomach. However , the last line of the letter bothered her. He felt something coming...but what could it be?

It was then she remembered that a new message had appeared on the Great Hall ceiling that morning that she'd forgotten about.

It had said:

**_The Coalesces Oracle has found the only two_**

**_Who can and will successfully make this prophecy go through._**

**_His undeniable majesty; her undoubtable wit,_**

**_The scented candles of true love have finally been lit._**

**_Of all the two that have come through_**

**_And fulfilled the prophecy._**

**_These two fit the mold,_**

**_And will_**

**_Finally_**

**_Bring_**

**_Peace_**

Hermione didn't know what else in the world she and Draco had to do to fulfill the prophecy; they'd admitted they loved each other, they'd _proved _it.

Hermione decided to get the answer, she would have to research it. She got off of his bed and made her way out of the common room.

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Hermione didn't see the dark figure lurking in the corner next to the library—and she didn't, until a gloved hand reached out and grabbed her, covering her mouth and pulling her away from where they stood. But the figure didn't notice the small bracelet that fell from her wrist when he pulled her into the darkness.

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"Have you seen Hermione?" Harry questioned the others. She was supposed to meet him at dinner to discuss further training of the Chasers, but she hadn't showed up.

"Maybe she went to the library?" Ron suggested.

Harry nodded, "Perhaps. Wanna come?"

Ron stood and followed the raven-haired boy out of the common room, leaving Seamus, Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny behind.

The two boys walked down the stairs and into the corridor leading to the Library. They entered and found that Madame Pince hadn't seen anyone come in. They thanked her and left the library, wondering to each other where their friend could be.

Harry looked to the ground as they stepped into the corridor, and a flash of something immediately caught his Seeker-trained eye.

"Oy, Ron," he said, stepping over into the corner, "What is this?" He asked.

He picked up the bracelet and immediately recognized it as Hermione's.

"What the bloody hell would her bracelet be doing in this corner?" Harry asked, pointing to the statue next to where he'd found the bracelet.

Ron shrugged, when suddenly they heard an evil cackle coming from behind the statue.

"Come on," Ron said, "Let's check the Heads Dorm."

Harry nodded, walking with Ron back toward the staircase and heading toward the portrait of Elvira the Elusive.

"Where could she be?" Harry wondered out loud as they reached the painting.

"May I help you?" Elvira's guarded voice asked.

Harry stepped forward, "Um, yes, if you please. We're Hermione's friends—is she in there?"

Elvira shook her head, "Oh, no. She left about two hours ago, but hasn't been back yet."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked.

Elvira looked indignant, "Of course I'm sure."

Ron sighed and ran a hand through his red hair.

"Let's go to McGonagall," Harry said, walking quickly in the direction of the professor's office.

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"Why, no, Mr. Potter, I haven't seen her," Professor McGonagall said, "When was the last time you saw her?"

Harry thought for a moment, "Dinner last night," he admitted.

"Did you check her common room?" She questioned.

Ron nodded, "The portrait said she hadn't seen her for two hours. No one's seen her!"

McGonagall, however, stayed calm, "I'm sure she's around somewhere."

Harry, however, had a very bad feeling in his stomach. Something had happened to Hermione, and he didn't know what it was.

At that moment, Harry's scar seemed to electrify, springing to life and sending a searing, white-hot pain through his head.

"Harry! You all right, mate?" Ron asked, helping Harry stay standing.

Harry closed his eyes against the pain, unable to open them. In his mind's eye, he heard a voice—"Help me! Please! Anybody!" A vision passed through his head quickly—it was Hermione, tied to a stone, her hands in front of her. She was struggling, her black tee torn at the shoulder, her face tear-streaked and terrified. "Help!" She cried.

Just as quickly as the vision appeared, it disappeared. And just as fast as his scar burned, the pain subsided.

Harry took a moment to steady himself before opening his eyes.

"Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, looking at her student carefully, "Mr. Weasley, please escort Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing."  
Ron nodded, a fearful look on his face as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder and steered him out of the room.

Once they'd left the room, Ron made for the Hospital Wing, but Harry shook his head, "No! I don't need the Hospital Wing—Ron, I saw Hermione. I heard her.."

"What?" Ron asked, clearly puzzled and alarmed at what his friend was saying.

"Ron, listen! When my scar hurt just now, I saw Hermione. Someone has her tied up somewhere; she's alone and frightened, and..."

"All right, mate, all right," Ron said, "I believe you. So what do we do?"  
Harry marched toward the Owlery, "There's only one thing we can do."

"What's that?" Ron asked, following like a confused dog.

Harry looked at his red-headed friend, "Send for Malfoy."

"WHAT?!" Ron yelled, "Malfoy? He isn't even _here_—how the bloody hell can _he_ help?!"

"Ron, whether you accept it or not, Malfoy is Hermione's boyfriend; do you _realize_ how royally pissed he would be if his girlfriend went missing and no one told him?"

"And we care about him being pissed since... when?" Ron questioned.

Harry looked at his friend, "Ron, if Lavender went missing, wouldn't _you_ want to be informed?"

Ron dodged the question, trying another approach.

"Harry, we can _handle_ this—we've done this kind of stuff a ton of times before."

Harry shook his head as he _Accio_'ed a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Malfoy needs to know—Hermione is part of his life just as much as she's part of ours."

Ron groaned, "All _right_," he reluctantly agreed, "Fine."

Harry nodded as he put the parchment on the ledge and quickly wrote:

_Malfoy—_

_Hermione has gone missing. Someone took her. Can't explain how I know. Trust me—found her bracelet—no one's seen her in 3 hours at this point. She's in danger._

_--H.J.P_

"Hedwig!" Harry called, whistling for her to come to him.

The snowy white owl flew out of the cage and landed on the window ledge and stuck out her foot, allowing Harry to tie the message to her leg.

He held his hand out and spoke to her, "Get to Malfoy no matter what—this is important, okay?"

Hedwig blinked before flying off of his hand and out the window.

"And what do we do now that we've informed the Ferret?" Ron questioned bitterly.

Harry turned to his friend, banishing the quill, "We get ready to go with Malfoy and find Hermione."

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Hermione lay her head against the stone pillar in which her hands were tied to the top of. She had been screaming for what seemed like hours. She was hoarse, and could barely feel her hands anymore, and still she had yet to see her captor.

She squeezed her eyes shut and silently willed _someone_ to realize she wasn't at Hogwarts: Harry, Ron, Draco—she didn't care who came to help her.

As long as someone did.

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Draco was sitting in the parlor with his mother after the funeral. They were going over his father's will before sending for the lawyer to make it final.

"Upon your _twentieth_ birthday," Narcissa informed him, "You will inherit the money and the estates."

"What of the beach houses in France and Italy?" Draco questioned.

Narcissa looked at the parchment in her pale hands, "It says that the France beach house shall be left to me, and the Italy beach house will be left to you."

"Why would he leave you only the beach house?" Draco questioned.

Narcissa looked up from the paper, "Well, when you marry, the manor and the Italy beach house will be left for yours and your wife's use."

Draco nodded as a snowy white owl flew in the window. He immediately recognized it as Potter's owl, so when the bird dropped a letter in his lap, he was somewhat confused. With a flash of white, the bird was gone.

He opened the paper and saw Harry's scrawl.

_Malfoy—_

_Hermione has gone missing. Someone took her. Can't explain how I know. Trust me—found her bracelet—no one's seen her in 3 hours at this point. She's in danger._

_--H.J.P_

Draco immediately got to his feet.

"What is it?" His mother questioned, alarmed at her son's behavior.

He shoved the letter into her hands as he made for his room to get his wand and change from his funeral attire.

"Draco!" Narcissa called, following his already disappeared form up the stairs.

She entered his room to see him pulling a black short sleeve shirt over his wifebeater, having already changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and black shoes.

"You're going to find her?" Narcissa questioned.

Draco nodded as he smoothed his hair back away from his face with his hands, pocketing his wand, "Mother, I have to go. I... well, I love her, Mother."  
Narcissa smiled, happy to finally see her son doing something he wanted to do, "Go get her, then."  
Draco smirked, pressing a kiss to his Mother's cheek, "I'll owl when it's over."  
Narcissa smiled and nodded as he grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, stepped into his fire, and shouted, "HOGWARTS!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Draco appeared in the fire in the Heads Common room. He opened her door and his to make sure she wasn't in there. When he didn't find her, he left the common room and went off to find Potter and Weasley.

He found them standing by the corner of the library.

"I got your letter, Potter," he said, walking up to the Boy Who Lived and Ron.

"We still haven't heard or seen from her," Harry informed him.

"Wait a minute, so we're actually going to _help_ this git?" Ron questioned, amazed at Harry and his behavior.  
"Ron, Hermione is missing and could die at any point; will you please think of _that_, if nothing else?"

Ron, remembering his friend's possible peril grumbled an incoherent reply.

Harry stared at Draco's neck, elbowing Ron to get his attention.

"What?" Draco asked, a bit annoyed.

"What the bloody hell is going on with your chain?" Ron questioned, looking at Draco's neck.

Draco lifted a part with one finger and looked down, seeing it was glowing with red cursive written unevenly on the chain.

"That looks like the writing from the..."

"—Great Hall," Draco finished, walking with determined steps in that direction, Harry and Ron following in close pursuit.

The blonde, red, and raven haired boys made it into the Great Hall and looked at the ceiling. In red cursive was scrolled:

**_The last Quidditch match was won here_**

**_Take a north, take a west, take a south, take an east._**

**_Tap it three times, say the name,_**

**_And meet the beast._**

"Damnit," Ron cursed, "I hate riddles."

"Weasley," Draco said impatiently, "It isn't a damn riddle. It's directions," Draco looked up again, "Quidditch... it has to be one of the rings... who was the last to score and which ring?"  
"Last game?" Harry question, thinking hurriedly, "It was Slytherin and Ravenclaw... you guys were the only ones that scored... I think was Neversen in the center Ravenclaw ring."

Draco nodded, "All right, then the steps... then we tap something three times and say a name..."

Harry nodded, "Come on, let's go."  
Draco, Ron, and Harry left the Great Hall, sprinting for the Quidditch pitch.

When they arrived, they ran for the Ravenclaw rings. Amazingly enough, neither of the three very well-built boys were out of breath. They only ran because none of them knew just how much time they had to get to Hermione.

"Who's going to do it?" Ron questioned.

"Malfoy, you do it," Harry decided, pointing to the blonde.

"What the hell—" Ron protested, but Harry gave him a look that silenced the outspoken red head immediately.

Draco nodded, "All right," he agreed.

Draco was so consumed with worry that he forgot to give Ron a snide reply, but tucked it away in his mind for another time and another place.

He lined his body up with the pole, faced north, and took a step forward, stepped to his right for west, backwards for south, and then to his left for east.

Suddenly, a severe looking stone statue appeared out of the ground.

Draco pulled out his wand, tapped it three times, and said, "Hermione."

The three boys felt a pull at their stomachs, like they were on some horribly cruel amusement park ride. They were spun in circles before the ground gave way, and they disappeared.


	31. Chapter XXX

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** I've got fourteen pages of notes/plans/ideas for my new story! I've been researching it all—every little thing that could possibly be in my story. I've gotten my information from www.hp-lexicon.org It's a really nice site that has SOOOO much info your head will pop off if you try and remember it all! lol But I suggest it to any HP writers who want to be more thorough and correct in their descriptions/settings/etc. It's a very good site!

Anyway, the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione's head lay against her forearms, her wrists being rubbed raw by the rough rope around them. She had almost given up hope in ever seeing anyone she loved ever again. No one knew she was gone—no one cared...

It was then she heard a BANG! Her head snapped up and she looked in the direction the noise had come from. She saw three figures land awkwardly on the ground.

As the dust settled, her eyes recognized red, black, and blonde hair.

"Hermione?" She heard Ron's voice call.

"Ron?" She whispered.

She saw a figure stand up, "Hermione!" Harry's voice resonated in the cave they were in.

"HARRY!" She cried, her voice hoarse and rough.

All three were now on their feet, and they stepped into one of the random beams of light that shown down from the crumbling earthen ceiling. The light shone down on them, and she made out who they were.

"Hermione?" Draco's uniquely rich voice asked.

"DRACO!" She yelled to the best of her ability.

She saw one of them point, "Over there!"

She looked Draco in the eye and knew he saw her. However, just as they took steps forward, a voice yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

All three of the boys were thrown backwards into the earthen wall, their wands flying forward into the shadows.

"Harry! Ron! Draco!" Hermione called, her voice still hoarse and barely there.

She heard all three of them coughing and groaning, so she knew they were all right.

"This will never do—must turn up the lights, shouldn't we?" The voice questioned. In that moment, the lights brightened, lighting up everything except the shadowed corners.

Hermione, who was forced to sit on her knees to keep as comfortable as she could, sat up, looking over the stone in which she was tied to. The three of them stood, still coughing. Hermione rested her head against the stone before looking up again.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Ron asked, not daring to step any closer.

She nodded, "Are you three..?"

"Ahhh... they won't be so all right soon..."

"What the hell?" Ron cursed, looking in the direction the voice had come from.

"_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!" The voice yelled, hitting Ron with the curse, but missing Harry, who had dropped to the floor in a feigned stupor. He, however, was waiting for the opportune moment to make his move...

Draco stood unwaivered by Ron and Harry's falls. He stood strong, watching Hermione's pleading eyes.

"Ahh... the strong one... Lucius Malfoy's pride and joy..."

"Show your face you fucking coward," Draco hissed.

Hermione watched as suddenly the person stepped forward...

...............................................................................................................................................

"Xander?" She gasped, watching as his tall, masculine form stepped out of the shadows.

He smirked evilly at her, "Oh, Hermione, lass, after all we've been through together, the least you could do is say my name a little more nicely."

"All we've been through—what the hell are you talking about?" She asked, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

He smirked in Draco's direction, "You didn't honestly think she gave herself to you purely? A woman of her beauty, untouched? You're naive, Malfoy, if you think she wouldn't have had someone else already..."

"What in the Gods name are you talking about?" She questioned.

He looked at her, "I have proof," he said, motioning toward the shadows, "Come, Nila."

Another form appeared from the shadows: Pansy Parkinson.

"You two," Draco smirked, completely calm, "You two have been working this forever," he said.

Xander smirked, "Well, Hermione had a hand in it."

"You're a liar," she hissed, looking toward Draco, whose expression had gone cold.

"Come off it, Hermione," Pansy purred, Xander's arm draped across her shoulders, "You knew we had to lure Draco here somehow; don't you remember offering yourself as bait?"

"You stupid bitch," Hermione cursed, looking back to Draco, "Dray, don't believe them! Dray, they're lying."

Xander looked at him, "Having some trust issues, Malfoy? Dear, beautiful, pure girlfriend not all she's cracked up to be?"

Draco glared at Xander before looking at Hermione, who's eyes filled with tears.

"Don't believe them! They're lying, Dray!" She insisted, knowing at that moment her words were falling on deaf ears.

Draco's anger was insatiable. Even releasing Hermione wouldn't make him feel better. According to those two despicable creatures, Hermione had helped the entire time; and lied to him in the process. The question was, who did he believe; the two people who'd been plotting against him the whole time, or his girlfriend; the one he'd chosen.

"Don't you remember me, Malfoy?" Xander said, his eyes flashing at Draco, who began to circle along with Xander, about five feet separating them as they walked in a circle, eyes never leaving each other.

"I think I would remember such filth as you," Draco hissed, seeing Hermione out of the corner of his eye. Her forehead had collapsed onto her forearms, and he could see her slim shoulders rising and lowering with her breaths.

"Ah yes, anything not given the Malfoy stamp of approval is therefore filth," Xander hissed, "Anything not worthy enough is destroyed... you know, they say the Malfoys are the power of the Wizarding World—but what was your father? Nothing more than a weak follower who catered to every whim of his master."

"You wouldn't know what power is if it slapped you in the face," Draco spat.

"Ohhh, but my father knew it—and Lucius killed him."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? And who was your father?"

Xander stopped circling, looking at Malfoy with eyes filled with malice, "Marko Vilen."

Draco smirked, "The weak, scared one who had to be killed for betraying? Of course I remember... you must be Xavier Vilen—heir to Marko's position. I should have known by the names."

Hermione at that moment realized how obvious Xander's identity had been. Xander and Xavier—both very close in spelling and appearance, and yet both names pertained to the same person.

"Very good, Malfoy," Xander said with a purely satanic smirk. Pansy stood by a stone, leaning against it, watching Draco with a smile that nearly made him sick. He rolled his eyes at her.

"What?" Pansy snapped, finally speaking her mind because she had Xander's protection, "Not good enough for you? You'll sleep with a dirty Mudblood who lies about her lack of promiscuity, but I disgust you?"

"Big word, Pansy," he commented nastily, "Make sure you choke on the next one."

Pansy marched over to Hermione, who had raised her head, tears replaced by anger.

Pansy grabbed Hermione's chin, "Look at that, Draco. You chose that. You could have had a life with a pureblood; continue on the untarnished Malfoy name, but you chose that. A bewitching Mudblood whose lies have blinded you."

"You stupid whore," Hermione said, glaring at Pansy before pulling away from the Slytherin girl's grasp, "You're the liar. You've concocted this plan with Xavier over there to kill me and Draco."

Pansy slapped Hermione hard in the face, "You, Mudblood, don't have the right to speak Xavier's or Draco's names. I won't let you dirty their names with your filth."

"I can speak their names all damn day if I want to," Hermione challenged, "The only one who has no right to speak them is you, you two-faced Slytherin whore."

Pansy whipped out her wand and pressed it to Hermione's throat, "Care to say more, Mudblood?"  
Hermione's eyes flashed violet at the Slytherin, "Kill me—go ahead; kill me. I'm not afraid to die."  
Pansy started to mutter something when Xander stopped her.

"No," he commanded, pointing his wand at Draco, "I want her to see him die."

"I'd like to see me die," Draco commented snidely.

Xander smirked, his wand still pointed at Draco, who at the moment was defenseless, "That can be arranged."

"So, let me get this straight," Draco said, glaring at the man across from him, "According to you, Hermione has been planning to be the bait to lure me here since the beginning?" He asked, gaining nods from Pansy and Xander.

"Sorry, Drakie dear," Pansy said, removing the wand from Hermione's throat, "But, when that bitch dies, you can always have me."  
Draco glared at her before looking at Hermione, whose eyes flashed violet still with her anger.

"Well, from the sounds of it I can't, considering Xavier over here has the intent on seeing me dead."  
Pansy frowned, but said nothing.

"Why do you want to kill Draco if Lucius killed your father?" Hermione asked Xander from her spot tied to the stone.

Xander smirked that maniacal smirk, "Because--," Xander said, turning to Draco, "Like father, like son. Besides, I've already gotten my revenge on Lucius."

Everyone's eyes went wide, including Pansy and Harry, who was still pretending to be knocked out.

Hermione couldn't contain the rage that was building inside of her, and little did she know Draco felt much the same.

"So it was you," he whispered furiously, "You had my father killed."

Xander smirked, his face contorted with pure hate and malice, "Yes, young Malfoy—those Egyptian thieves can be persuaded to do pretty much anything."

Draco was seeing red; the anger inside of him was enough to make him sick. This bastard had planned this entire year.

"So," Draco said, is voice deathly low, "You planned that Hermione and I would be the ones to fulfill the prophecy—if you couldn't kill us with that, do it the old fashion way?"  
Xander shrugged, "Pretty much. But you two just could not be shoved apart, no matter how much I was around, you never got jealous enough—"

"Why would I be jealous of something like you?" Draco spat.

"Oh yes, I forgot, you're the perfect, undeniable Draco Malfoy—well, one woman chose me over you, Malfoy."

Xander motioned for Pansy to come to his arm. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he kissed her.

Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Well, I hate to break it to you, Xavier, but even if I had the choice between Hermione and Pansy—well, you can see which one I chose in that predicament."

"WELL_ I_ DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE IN THE MATTER, DID I?" Xander bellowed, "MALFOYS ALWAYS GET THE BEST; GET THE MOST WORTHY, AND EVERYONE ELSE JUST GETS STUCK WITH THE EXTRA!"

Pansy's eyes went wide with fury, "I'm just the _EXTRA_?!"

Draco smirked, looking at Hermione out of the corner of his eye. He realized that someone was helping her untie her bounds... but who...?

It was then he noticed her hands from the wrists up were gone...

_What the hell_? Draco wondered, but figured he would find out what was going on afterwards—as soon as Hermione was freed, it would be two to two—an even battle. He knew Hermione was more than match for Pansy; Hermione could beat Pansy with one spell.

"Guess that's what you are," Draco said, "The leftovers. And trust me, Xavier, I only get the best and the most worthy because I want them. I wanted Hermione, and I got her. That's your first lesson—when you want something, get it before someone else does."

Xander smirked, "Teaching me how to be like you? Kind, Malfoy, but I assure you—had I wanted Hermione, it would have only been to easy."

"Excuse me," she spoke up indignantly, "Just because I was friendly towards you does not mean I had any romantic interest in you," she spat to Xander.

"You sure as hell better not have!" Pansy replied harshly.

Hermione gave the Slytherin a look, "Why would I want Xander when I already had Draco?"  
Pansy fumed; Hermione had managed, in the course of half a school year, to obtain the one thing Pansy had wanted and worked after for seven years: Draco Malfoy.

"You know, I say we kill both of them and leave this to you and me," Xander said to Draco.

Draco stiffened, "Why harm Hermione? She hasn't done anything to you—according to you, it's 'Like father like son', right? She's neither the father nor the son."

"Yes, but you see, I can't have revenge-hungry people left behind after you die," Xander explained.

Hermione felt Harry slide away, still hidden in the Invisibility Cloak. She conjectured that he'd shrunk it to fit into his pocket, and then taken it out, returning it to it's original size.

She saw that four wands stuck out of Xander's pocket; Hers, Ron's, Draco's, and Harry's. She also noticed that Xander was so consumed in his verbal confrontation with Draco that he didn't even think that more than half of each wand was sticking out.

"Ahh yes, always protect what's yours, don't you, Malfoy? Well what if I kill you and... enjoy Hermione afterwards?" Xander smirked towards Hermione, who glared daggers at him.

Draco's eyes blazed gray fire, "If you ever put a hand on her, I'll make sure you experience so much pain you'd wished you and your entire line were never born."  
Xander feigned a look of concern, "Oh, getting violent, aren't we, Malfoy?"

Hermione watched as one by one, the wands were pulled out of Xander's pocket, and disappeared (Harry pulled them under the cloak with him.)

Hermione was already untied, but until she had her wand in her hand, she didn't want to give Pansy or Xander the impression that she was free.

"I don't see why we have to get rid of something so... perfect," Pansy purred, trying to sway Draco's interest from Hermione, who hadn't spoken since her indignant remark towards Xander, to her. Pansy's hand went on Draco's cheek, and Hermione felt her blood pressure go up.

Draco rolled his eyes, pulling his face away, "Pansy, if I wanted any more of the Slytherin whores, I would've had them already."

Pansy looked offended as she looked to Xander to defend her. Xander, however, was leaning against a stone casually, his wand still pointed toward Malfoy, not making one move to defend her. Little did he know, his pocket, which before had held four wands, was empty. Pansy began yelling at Xander, angry that Draco had defended Hermione, but that Xander wouldn't defend her.

Hermione watched carefully, knowing that Harry had moved to put Ron's wand in his reach. She continued to watch, not paying attention to the exchange of words between the three standing in the middle of the cave.

At that moment, Draco felt something long and slim slide into his pocket, right next to his hands. He realized it was his wand. It was also then he realized Potter had brought his Invisibility Cloak—Potter had freed Hermione and gotten their wands from Xander.

Hermione watched as Draco's expression stayed as still as ever. She knew, however, that Harry had given Draco his wand.

She sat still until she saw her wand appear on her knee, well within her reach when the time came.

"I say we get this over with," Xander said, "I'm getting quite bored."

Pansy nodded, still angry at what had happened between Xander and herself moments earlier.

"Which one first?" She asked, not realizing Harry, Hermione, and Draco were all armed with their wands once again.

"First I say we snap their w—"  
Xander reached into his pocket and realized the wands were gone.

"What the--?"  
In that moment, Harry appeared from under the cloak, Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Xander (Harry had pointed his at Xander as well) but Hermione had stood, pointing hers at Pansy.

"Try killing us now," Draco spat.

Xander's expression never faltered, but Pansy's did slightly.

"You still have your wand," Xander hissed with impatience.

Before Pansy could raise it, however, Hermione had sprung into action, "Expelliarmus!"

Pansy's wand flew from her hand and into Hermione's.

"Damnit, can't you do anything right?" Xander asked.

"What the hell are you going on about?" Pansy shrieked, "I did my part—"

"Bullshit! You were supposed to tempt him—" Xander jerked his head in Draco's direction, "—But you couldn't even do that!"

"Will you two shut up?" Hermione said, "Livindendo!"

Pansy's limbs snapped close to her body, tight ropes wrapping themselves around her, a gag going around her mouth as well.

"One down, one to go," Harry said.

Hermione now turned her wand to Xander, who realized he had only himself and his wand against three people and three wands.

"Harry," Hermione said, her eyes never leaving Xander's face, "Take the spell off of Ron and get back up to the castle. Get Dumbledore and McGonagall and anyone else," she said.

Harry looked at her, but realized this battle was between Xander and Draco and Hermione.

Harry kept his wand on Xander as he made his way to Ron, releasing the red head from the curse.

Hermione looked for a moment, seeing Ron get up and grab his wand. She realized her friend was limping, however, and she hoped he was all right. She watched as Harry picked up the Invisibility Cloak and shrunk it again, sticking it into his pocket. In one second, he and Ron disappeared back the way they came by tapping the same stone statue and saying, "Hogwarts."

"Now," Draco said, his baritone deathly low and furious, "It's between us."


	32. Chapter XXXI

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** Wow! You guys like it a lot! lol I don't think I've ever gotten such a big response for one of my stories! :-D keep it coming!

Update on my **NEW STORY:** the title of my new fic I'm planning is **Substitute for Love**—a D/Hr fic. After rereading the fifth book, this story really came together and I'll give you guys a summary and a rough-release date on it ASAP! Until then keep reading and keep reviewing! ::muah::

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Aww, the lovebirds are going to have their revenge now," Xander purred in a sickeningly sweet tone.

Hermione smirked, "I wouldn't be making fun, considering you couldn't even keep four wands in your pocket."

Xander turned to face her, his wand pointed to her, and her wand pointed to him, "You couldn't really kill me, Hermione. To kill someone, you have to want them dead. You don't want me dead; I've never been anything but friendly and kind to you, especially when that schmuck over there—" he motioned to Draco, "—was being the asshole he is."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "He lost my vote of confidence when you pulled all this," she said, her wand never faultering.

"Well, I'll make you a deal," Xander said, his voice in a low whisper, "It was never truly my intention to kill you—I was only after him," he said, "Pansy was the one who wanted you dead."

Pansy's tied up form wiggled in contradiction.

"So, here's the deal. I let you go now, and you let Draco over there handle this himself."

Draco knew if she stayed she was going to be in the same if not more danger than he was already in. He was not willing to have her risk her life for him.

"Take the deal, Hermione," he said, his face stone cold and expressionless, "Leave now."  
She looked at him for a moment. All the emotion she'd ever seen in his eyes when he looked at her was gone; all she saw was dead, empty gray eyes, and she knew he believed Xander and Pansy's stories.

Draco kept his gaze on her, "Hermione, get out of here."

Hermione thought over her options. This was one man over two; sure, Xander was skilled with charms, but he could also know some Dark Magic that Hermione didn't. Then again, Draco knew his fair share of Dark Magic.

"No," she decided. She'd been in more difficult and dangerous situations with Harry and Ron, and she'd made it out. She was not going to leave Draco down in the cave to die.

Xander smirked, "That old Gryffindor loyalty always comes out. Well, Draco, what say you to this?"

"Hermione, get out," Draco snarled.

"NO," she said, her voice indignant and unobeying, "This is my fight too."

"No it's not," Draco contradicted, "He wants to kill me; let him try."

"NO," she repeated.

"Hermione—"

"_Stupefy!"_

"_Protego!"_

Hermione hurled a Stunning spell straight at Xander, who quickly blocked it.

"Nice try, little Gryffindor, but you're going to have to do better than that," Xander hissed.

"Hermione, _don't_," Draco's voice said.

She looked at him for a moment, finally seeing something like desperation in his face.

"Now, I'll give you one last chance to leave, Hermione," Xander said, "Or you'll die with him."

"She'll take the deal," Draco said, taking Hermione's arm and pulling her toward the statue.

She fought him, of course.

"I'm not going to leave you here to die," she insisted, looking into his calm gray eyes.

He smirked, "I'm not going to die."

"You don't know that," she spat, her anger and frustration coming out on him.

"Hermione, do the right thing and leave," he told her, his eyes piercing into hers.

She stared at him for a few moments before looking toward Xander, who was leaning against a stone pillar casually, twirling his wand in his fingers.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall will be here soon," she said.

Draco nodded, moving back toward Xander.

Hermione turned her back and moved toward the stone statue.

"_Stupefy!"_ Xander said, pointing at Hermione.

"NO!" Draco yelled as Hermione turned around and was hit full-front by the curse, slamming her back into the earthen wall.

Draco swore he heard an ominous crack when she'd made contact with the wall, and he was sure it was not a good sound to be hearing...

In less than a millisecond he was next to her crumpled and unconscious body.

"Hermione?" He asked, touching her face carefully, "Hermione? Come on, wake up. Wake up, Hermione."

"Aww, how sweet," Xander cooed, his position the same as it had been, "Too bad you doubted her. I do hope the impact killed her, you know."

Draco quickly checked her wrist for a pulse.

"Tough luck, Xavier," Draco said, "She's still alive."

Xander shrugged, "Oh well. I'll do away with her once I finish with you."

Draco cast one final look on Hermione before standing up and facing Xander.

"You son of a—"

"Now, now, no need for language," Xander said, "If you don't put up too much of a fight, this will be quite quick and relatively painless."

"_Crucio!"_ Draco yelled, pointing at Xander.

In one second, Xander was on the ground, writhing in indescribable pain.

"Is this relatively painless, you bastard?" Draco asked, watching the man on the floor contort in the agony of it all. Draco felt all of his anger from his entire life come to the surface as he watched the man who'd hurt Hermione feel the same exact pain.

Draco released him from the curse, but before he could hit him again, Xander croaked, _"Stupefy!"_

Draco dodged the spark of red light by inches, but cut his upper left arm against one of the stone pillars.

"_Crucio!"_ He yelled, watching Xander shake and convulse in pain again. But Xander never once screamed or yelled. Draco figured, like he, Xander had been the victim of the Cruciatus Curse a lot in his life.

Draco released him from the curse again, and Xander jumped at his opportunity.

_ "Crucio!"_

Draco felt a wave of pain shoot through his body; his spine was on fire, his joints felt like they were clacking and slamming and twisting together. However, he knew exactly how to fight this pain, thanks to his father.  
Draco imagined warmth spreading from the tip of his head, flooding down through his arteries. The warmth absorbed into his skin, and he pictured the warmth like water cascading over him. This was how he'd always survived when his father had used this curse on him. The pain subsided then, and Draco stayed on his feet.

Xander released him from the curse and watched him with wide eyes, but he said nothing. Xander was still too weak and in pain to say anything. Draco jumped at the opportunity to end it.

"_Livindendo!"_ Draco said, and Xander ended up just as Pansy was; bound and gagged in the corner.

He let out a few breaths, recovering from the adrenaline rush he'd just been through. He kicked Xander's wand away and shot one last withering look at him.

"That goes to show you never to threaten a Malfoy," Draco spat in Xander's direction.

Xander shot a cold, hateful glance at him. Draco rolled his eyes before going over to Hermione and looked down, seeing she was still unconscious.

"Hold on, Hermione," he pleaded, "Please, hold on."

At that moment, the ground above them seemed to open up, and Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Harry, and Ron appeared.

"Oh my—" McGonagall began, seeing Draco's arm bleeding, Hermione on the ground, and Xander and Pansy tied up in the corner.

Dumbledore stayed unruffled and immediately went into action.

"Severus, please take Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said calmly.

Snape nodded, "Yes, Headmaster."

Snape conjured up a stretcher for Hermione, and motioned for Draco to follow as they heard Dumbledore say, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, will you please take Mr. Vitrikson and Miss Parkinson up to my office? Professor McGonagall and I will take care of everything else."  
The last thing Draco saw was Harry and Ron moving into the corner and Professor McGonagall shaking her head. The ground then closed up, and Draco, Snape, and Hermione appeared above ground.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Draco sat in the Hospital Wing long after Madam Pomfrey had taken care of his cut. He sat next to Hermione's bed, holding her cold hand and blaming himself the entire time for what had just happened.

No matter what he did or what he became in the future, it would always be the ones he loved that would pay. He never had to suffer; they had to.

If only he and Hermione hadn't started dating until after Hogwarts—then Xander would have come after only him. And then the whole fact that he'd actually believed their lies...

"All right, Mr. Malfoy, you've had half an hour," Madam Pomfrey said, coming into the cubicle and shooing him away, "You can come back after dinner."

Draco nodded, giving Hermione one last look before leaving.

As he left the Hospital Wing, he ran into Harry and Ron.

"How is she?" Harry asked, the only tone in his voice being concern.

"She's still unconscious," Draco informed them.

"Did anything else happen?" Ron asked, "I mean, any injuries--?"

"She broke her back," Draco said after taking a long breath.

Harry's eyes went wide, "For Muggles, once you break your back you're paralyzed for life."

"Thanks, Harry, that makes us all feel a lot better," Ron said sarcastically, "What did Pomfrey do?"

Draco put a hand on the back of his neck, the other in his pocket, "Pomfrey set her spine straight again, but that's all she can do until Hermione wakes up and takes the potion."

The two nodded in understanding.

"How about you?" Harry asked, motioning to the bandage on Malfoy's shoulder.

Draco shrugged, "It was just a scratch."

"Did you really finish Xander off?" Ron questioned.

Draco looked at the red head, "I tied him up, yeah."

"But how'd you get him weak enough to do that?"

"Cruciatus."

Harry's eyebrows went up, "And he just took it?"  
Draco raised an eyebrow, "No, he tried to Stun me but missed, and he got me once with the Cruciatus, but that's all."  
The raven and red headed boys nodded again.

There was a pause; a very uncomfortable silence between the three before Harry stepped forward and extended his hand.

"Thank you, Malfoy," Harry said, "Thanks for umm... well.. er.. caring about her and... you know.. saving her and stuff."

Draco watched Harry with interest as the raven haired boy stumbled over the words.

After a moment, Draco extended his hand, and shook Harry's, "Thank you for telling me she was gone."

Harry gave Ron a look that clearly said, 'I told you so.' Ron, however, ignored it, as he watched the exchange with surprise before hesitantly extending his hand, "Thanks, Malfoy."  
Draco smirked, shaking Ron's hand, "Anytime, Weasley. It's about time I got some adventures in—what with you three hogging all six years with'em."

The three laughed as Draco left for the common room, and Harry and Ron entered the Hospital Wing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And you, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley cooperatively went out looking for her?" Dumbledore asked the next day as the three boys and Xander sat in his office.

Draco nodded. He hated having to recount every single detail, but he didn't have to say much; Ron was good at telling the story.

Dumbledore linked his fingers together and watched the three with interest, "Well, I must say I am extremely impressed with all three of you; have you finally worked out your differences?"  
Ron, Harry, and Draco slowly shrugged and nodded.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "I never thought I'd live to see the day Slytherins and Gryffindors helped each other to reach one common goal. But you boys have proved me wrong."

"What about him?" Ron shot a sharp look at Xander, who glared in return.

"Ahh, Mr. Vitrikson—" Dumbledore knew this was not really his last name,"--Well, considering he and Miss Parkinson are eighteen and legally adults, they will be tried in front of the Wizengamot. If they are convicted, they're looking at time in Azkaban."

Draco, Ron, and Harry continued speaking for a while before Dumbledore excused everyone except Xander.

"By the way, boys," Dumbledore said, "I'd say a hundred points to both Gryffindor and Slytherin, eh?"

The boys smiled; Gryffindor and Slytherin were neck and neck for the House Cup.

"Thank you, Professor," they all thanked him before casting final looks

"Hey, Malfoy," Harry said, catching up to Draco after they'd left Dumbledore's office, "Hermione's awake."  
Draco's eyes went wide, "She is? Since when?"

"This morning; Dumbledore called us up before we could tell you."

Draco nodded, "Thanks," he said, heading off in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Does that hurt?" Madame Pomfrey asked as she helped Hermione sit up.

Hermione shook her head, "No, it just feels like I slept on it wrong."

"Good," Madame Pomfrey said, "That's how it should feel. Now, I think one more night here and then you'll be free to go—I want to make sure your back heals itself correctly."

Hermione nodded before laying back down.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything," Madame Pomfrey said, leaving the cubicle. Hermione heard the distinct SNAP as her door shut.

Hermione looked away from the window in which she'd been staring out of, and found a blonde haired man dressed all in black standing at the edge of her bed.

"Malfoy," she said quietly, "You made it."

He smirked, "I told you I would."

Her eyes glazed over with what looked like anger and hurt. Draco waited for the explosion he knew was going to come from her.

But it didn't.

"So, what are you doing here?" She asked, watching him carefully and waiting patiently for an answer.

He put a hand on the back of his neck, the other in his pocket (she'd noticed this was one of his favorite ways of standing), "I came to see you; Potter told me you were awake."

She nodded, "I spoke to him and Ron this morning."

Draco nodded, and there was a silence between them.

"Hermione—"

She shook her head, "You believed them, didn't you?"

Draco stopped and looked at her questioningly.

"You believed Xander and Pansy when they said I was part of the plan—I was in on it—I'd—" she shivered in disgust, "—slept with Xander. You actually believed all of that when the whole time I've been nothing but honest with you."

"Hermione, if you were in that situation, you would have started doubting too."

She sat up, and he watched carefully to make sure she didn't hurt herself, "No, Draco, that's where you're wrong. That's what you haven't learned, and just don't seem to understand. I wouldn't have doubted you, because I trust you. Think about it—did you see me getting jealous when other girls were hanging on you?"

He was silent.

"No, because I knew you were with me; I knew you'd chosen me."

Draco had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach—she was using words in **past tense**.

"Hermione," he interjected, "It isn't easy for me to be dating the most beautiful girl in the school, because every guy wants her!"

She looked at him as if he had three heads, "Do you think it's any easier for me to be dating the most handsome man in the school? Don't you think I've heard of girls' plots to make you dump me and go out with them? You may not believe it, but I put up with the same crap that you do."

He ran a hand through his hair, and Hermione looked away, her tone dying a little, "You know," she began in a soft whisper, looking out the window from her bed, "That you're the only one I've ever been with, and yet you don't believe that, when you know for yourself."  
"It's hard not to doubt it, Hermione!" He explained, "I can't comprehend how something as beautiful as you was untouched..."

"Draco, who else would there have been?" She questioned calmly, "Ron and Harry? No chance. Seamus or Dean or any of the Gryffindors? NO WAY. Viktor? NO. Xander? You're out of your mind."

There was a silence as it all sunk in. Draco had been the only one. **Ever.** And he was just now learning to accept it. But at that point, he could already have been too late.

"I can't see how this relationship can work if you don't start pushing away your doubts and believing what you know is the truth," Hermione said sadly.


	33. The Passion of a Dragon

**The Passion of a Dragon**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Author's Notes:** OH MY GOSH! LAST CHAPTER!!! :'( I THINK I'M GONNA _CRY_!  
**More info about my new story at the end!**

Don't worry—everything comes together in this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP stuff—I'd be in the mountains right now if I did—I own everything you don't recognize.

**Characters You Will Meet In This Chapter:**

_no new characters_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hermione, this is one of those times when you're going to have to be completely clear about what you say," Draco told her, his baritone voice very low.

She looked at him, before gingerly getting off of the bed. He stepped forward and held onto her arms to make sure she could stand all right.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long time, willing the other to speak—it was like an unspoken battle between them. They'd defeated Xander, but they still battled against each other; who was the strongest?

"I'm sick of fighting with you," she informed him, breaking their eye contact by blinking, "No one has to be the best. No one has to be the strongest. The only thing that matters is you and me, all right? If you want to be in a relationship with me; that matters. If I want to be in a relationship with you; that matters. All this other stuff about 'who cries' and 'who fights it the best'—it doesn't matter."

He watched her, "And you're sure you're ready not to fight for number one anymore?"  
She smiled at him—the face of the man that had stolen her heart, "Yes—if you are."

He smirked, "Would I have said anything if I wasn't?"

She grinned as he put an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers.

In that moment, the sky outside erupted with fireworks, and gold handwriting could be seen across the royal blue. Hermione and Draco broke apart, smiling at one another before looking out the window, their fingers entwined with each other's.

_**Who knew this day would come to pass?  
Who knew this love would finally last?  
Through the tests and struggles their love's been put through,**_

_**These two have fallen into love that is true.  
Their differenceshave been put aside; their battle been ended,**_

_**Any old wounds have finally been mended.  
They shall last forever; their future draws near,**_

_**Who knew the Passion of a Dragon would be one to revere?**_

**xThe Endx**

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**A/N:** OH MY GOSH! It's done!! HURRAY!! Damn, what a lot of work 32 chapters was! lol Aww... but it's over now... pouts unhappily BUT WAIT!!!! I have a new story coming out!!!

Here are the details, my loyal and awesome readers:  
  
**Title:** Substitute for Love  
**Rating:** PG-13 (for language)  
**Rough-Release Date:** June 21st-July 1st (very tentative, but you'll know, if you have me on your Author list!)  
**Summary (a little taste of what you'll see!)  
**It has been three long months since Harry's defeat of Voldemort at the Riddle House. The prophecy between the two has been fulfilled; Harry coming out the victor. But the Order of the Phoenix does not plan to disband. While the Dark Lord has been vanquished and many of his faithful Death Eaters killed, there are some who sit in Azkaban... waiting for their chance to get revenge; revenge for their Master's death. Therefore, Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeal to Dumbledore to be allowed to be inducted into the Order of the Phoenix. Will he let them? Will the Houses at Hogwarts grow closer in fear of an attack, or farther away? Will Draco follow in his father's footsteps and become a Death Eater, leading those weaker than him to power? Will another Dark Lord rise to power in the wake of the first one's death? And yet, during all of this, can two people who never got along find love? And will the Death Eaters launch one final attempt to kill Harry, Ron, and Hermione—the three responsible for the death of Lord Voldemort?  
_**You'll have to wait and see, won't you? :-P** HAHAHAHA_

Thank you so much for reading The Passion of a Dragon—I plan to continue writing Harry Potter fics, so if you want, feel free to put me on your Author Alert List—I'll be around for a while! :-D Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed the story!

P.S. BIG THANKS TO ALL OF MY REVIEWERS! YOU GUYS KICK BUTT! And I also want to thank everyone who has emailed me wanting to be a beta—at this point, **Krystina**, one of my faithful readers from this story, is a beta for me! Keep your eyes out for another one of my stories!


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